


The Black Squadron Leader

by CynicalPudding



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Armitage Hux Needs A Hug, Brendol Hux's A+ Parenting, Does this please you, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Everyone Needs A Hug, Jedi Ben Solo, Kylo Ren Needs a Hug, M/M, Minor Violence, Pre-Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Resistance Member Ben Solo, Sassy Ben Solo, Slow Burn, Sniper Armitage Hux, This is going to be much longer then previously anticipated, i wrote this to procrastinate, non graphic but still there
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-12
Updated: 2020-05-10
Packaged: 2021-02-01 05:55:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 86,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21406246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CynicalPudding/pseuds/CynicalPudding
Summary: It was inevitable that they would meet; the General of the First Order and the Resistance’s Black Squadron Leader that had been a long time thorn in his side.The General, however, could not have anticipated the way their meeting would turn out when he walked into the holding cell to meet the rebellious and incorrigible Ben Solo.((This story is still in its initial stages and is subject to change))
Relationships: Armitage Hux/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Armitage Hux/Kylo Ren
Comments: 223
Kudos: 659





	1. How Many Secrets Can You Keep?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story takes place five years before The Force Awakens. Ben is 24, Hux is 29, Poe is 27, and Rey is 14.
> 
> ~Chapter Vibe~
> 
> https://youtu.be/fuWq4RZnc6U

Hux stood proudly, straight backed and smug before the wide viewport on the bridge, surveying the aftermath of the battle just recently won; an almost disappointingly easy victory. The Resistance had deigned to set up an ambush, a meager attempt to intercept and steal the routine supplies the Finalizer had stopped planet-side to take on; an exceedingly desperate move that had been dealt with accordingly in the quick and ruthless manner expected of the First Order. 

The General’s blood still thrummed through his veins as he came down from his victory. And it was _ his_. Debris from demolished X-Wings floated aimlessly past the viewport and Hux allowed himself a small and carefully hidden smirk of satisfaction at the sight. 

The Resistance had certainly become quite bold in recent months, attacking a fully equipped Star Destroyer in neutral space, especially one with the sheer reputation and credentials of the Finalizer; and without the New Republic’s support to boot.

Hux scoffed inwardly at that wayward thought. It had been little more than twenty four years since the Battle of Jakku, and still the New Republic banished the repetitive rants of their favourite Princess turned Senator turned General as she warned them against the growing might of the First Order, purely on the basis that she had no real evidence. The New Republic put far too much trust in their own abilities to maintain the so called peacetime the galaxy had been forced into after the destruction of the Empire. Their hubris would be their downfall.

The entire situation and recollection of such was positively laughable, but Hux held back. It would not do to show such an unseemly emotional display on the bridge in full view of his Officers. 

“General Hux, Sir,” called a voice behind him, breaking him from his musings. Hux turned to face Lieutenant Mitaka, the young man bowing his head in the customary display of respect. Hux nodded wordlessly for him to continue. 

“Though most of the remaining rabble have escaped, we have managed to capture one pilot. He foolishly sacrificed himself so that his fellows could flee,” Mitaka’s young face remained mostly neutral, round dark eyes searching Hux’s own face for a reaction to mirror. 

Hux turned up his nose, a sneer twisting his lips downward at the news. 

“How very noble,” he drawled, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Self sacrifice seems to be a recurring theme with these resistance scum. Show me to him. Unamo, you have the bridge.”

Mitaka nodded eagerly, allowing Hux to walk in front and to the right of him as they made their way toward the cells. 

“What do we know about this prisoner?” Hux questioned as they went. 

“Only that he is the leader of the Black Squadron, Sir.”

Hux frowned at that. 

The Black Squadron Leader; he had certainly given the Order plenty of trouble in the past. He was clever, quick, and an exceptionally skilled pilot, able to outmaneuver anyone sent after him. There were even rumours that he could anticipate his enemies movements, avoiding attacks before they had even been set in motion. The very fact that _ he _ was the one they had captured was nothing short of a miracle. 

A miracle that rightfully made Hux incredibly wary. 

When they had arrived, the sight through the thick transparisteel of the one way viewport made Hux stop short, brow raising in genuine surprise. 

The captured pilot sat, hands bound behind his back, on the durasteel bench at the back of the cell. He was young, younger even then Hux. He wore not the usual ugly orange flight suit, but a white shirt unbuttoned to the middle of his chest, a black vest with red piping, a pair of black trousers with what looked to be Corellian blood stripes down the sides of the legs, and sturdy black boots. His hair was pulled back in a messy bun, stray black locks and a single long thin braid escaping to frame that oddly young and angular face. 

His full lips quirked upward on one side as if he knew someone was watching him; appraising him. Dark knowing eyes met Hux’s through the one way transparisteel and Hux had the very sudden feeling that it was he who was being watched, not the other way around. 

_ ‘Impossible,’ _ he scoffed internally, shaking his head at the ridiculous notion.

“Lieutenant, you are dismissed,” Hux stated as he glanced over to the control panel for the cell. Mitaka saluted and dutifully marched back toward the bridge. When he was out of sight, Hux flicked the switch on the panel to shift the one way transparisteel of the large viewport to 100% opacity. 

Satisfied with the new privacy of the cell, Hux entered his code into the panel beside the entrance, waiting for the tumblers to click and the hydraulics to release with a pop and a hiss, and walked in as the door slid open. Those dark eyes instantly met his as if their previous eye contact had never ceased. Hux walked forward, letting the door close and lock behind him. He held his hands primly behind his back, eyeing up the mysterious pilot with a look that was decidedly unimpressed. 

“So this is the infamous Black Squadron Leader? I must say, you’re not at all what I expected. You’re far younger, far less _ impressive_, than your long list of accomplishments would suggest.”

The young man deigned to look confused, that spark of resistance twinkling in his eyes growing brighter. 

“Black Squadron? I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean,” he said in a rather convincing diplomatic accent. “I was on my way to Chandrila for a diplomatic mission when I got caught up in your little dogfight.”

Hux glanced at the man in disbelief. Did this fool really think Hux would believe that feeble lie after having seen his ship with his own two eyes blasting holes into the hull of the inventory transport shuttle, picking off his TIE Fighters one by one with aggravating ease?

The prisoner's mien shifted from feigned confusion to smug amusement and Hux realised with no small amount of ire that the man was poking fun at him. 

“I suppose you think yourself amusing, pilot?” Hux commented, looking down his nose at the smirking man. 

“As much as you think yourself imposing,” the pilot paused, his eyes traveling to Hux’s greatcoat sleeve and counting the silver lines. “General,” the man fired back in his soft deep voice, eyes twinkling with mirth at Hux’s clear aggravation. 

“What is your name?” Hux demanded shortly, his temper beginning to flare up.

“Hmm… Obi-Wan,” the man answered after his initial exaggerated consideration, his crooked smile growing exponentially wider. 

“For some reason I’m not entirely convinced that was the truth,” Hux stated dryly, his patience wearing thin.

”What do you mean? Obi-Wan is a perfectly normal name,” the pilot supplied, seeming to enjoy the situation far too much for a prisoner.

”Perhaps for an Old Republic General, but it is not yours,” Hux snapped back before he could reign in his growing temper. He took in a deep breath through his nose. This rabble would not provoke him.

  
“I’ll ask you again, what is your name?” he demanded, fists clenched tightly behind his back.

“I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours?” the pilot almost purred, eyes half lidded as they raked over Hux’s form far too suggestively for propriety. 

Hux balked at the man’s insolence, a sharp retort poised on his tongue when the intercom in the cell buzzed, a familiar voice ringing through the speaker. 

“General Hux, we have some new information on the prisoner you _will_ find pertinent,” Captain Phasma stated. Hux took one last glance at the pilot, the man’s smirk working him up more than he wished to admit. 

He turned away to walk toward the exit, entering his code into the panel with perhaps more force than was strictly necessary, and stepping through before letting the door close behind him. With a frustrated sigh, he turned to face the tall chromium armored Captain. 

“Phasma,” he greeted curtly, waiting for her to speak. 

“Sir, we have ascertained the identity of the pilot,” she said, holding out a datapad for Hux to take. 

Hux gazed over the blue tinted screen, taking in the image of a young boy, his moles, wild dark locks, and crooked smile a perfect match for the stubborn Resistance pilot sitting patiently in the cell beside them. 

“His name is Ben Solo,” Phasma continued, tapping the screen and zooming out from the young boy to show the full picture.

“He is the son of the Resistance Generals Leia and Han Solo Organa.”

Hux’s brow raised in surprise as he indeed recognized the visage of Leia Organa, a younger version of the General, perhaps still a Senator at this point, smiling down lovingly at her son. 

On the child’s other side stood the man Hux assumed to be Han Solo; criminal trash until he’d taken on the mantel of General and played a major role in the destruction of the Empire. His hand was resting on the boy’s shoulder, his expression one of silent pride. 

Hux glanced back toward the door, behind which was evidently the only son and heir of the Organa line. A laugh of disbelief bubbled up in his throat, threatening to escape. He quashed the urge and thanked Phasma curtly, dismissing her and walking back to the door. 

The second it had opened, Hux could see that the prisoner's expression had changed from that smug smile to a knowing frown. He knew he’d been found out. 

Hux turned the illuminated screen of the datapad to him, showing him the family picture. His own young smiling face was reflected in the dark depths of his eyes as he stared directly back into Hux’s. 

“The son of the Leaders of the Resistance; a disgraced politician and a smuggler. How fitting that it should be _ you _ who wound up in a cell on my ship,” Hux commented as flippantly as if they’d been discussing the weather. 

“How long do you think it’ll be before they realise their precious child is missing?” he continued, watching something dark brew behind those eyes. 

“How desperate do you think they’ll be to get you back?” he inquired with a cruel smirk, staring directly into his prisoners almost sullen face. 

Solo returned his stare challengingly, blowing a lock of hair out from in front of his eyes. 

“You think yourself lucky to have captured me. You won’t feel so lucky for long,” he claimed, his dour expression shifting to one of almost amusement. 

Hux snorted derisively, moving in to stare directly into Solo’s eyes, close enough now to see the flecks of green and gold in those rich dark brown depths. 

“We shall see,” he hissed before straightening and walking back towards the door to exit the cell. 

_ ‘We shall see.’ _

………

Days had passed since they had begun interrogating Solo. They had started off slow, simply letting him stew alone in his cell for an entire day before commencing the questioning. 

The young man seemed to be almost entirely unaffected by their usual methods of torture, brushing off pain that should have been crippling as if it were nothing more then a mild inconvenience. 

They had begun to withhold food, only supplying him with enough water to stay alive. The rebellious glint in his eyes never dimmed. He still fired back insults every chance he had, aggravating Hux beyond reason. Any _ reasonable _ man would have given up under such extreme circumstances, but Solo was most assuredly the most unreasonable man Hux had ever met. 

In addition, there had been absolutely no word from General Organa or Han Solo. The resistance had been silent, but no more or less than usual after launching an attack and recovering from the damages. It was almost as if they didn’t care about their captured heir. 

Hux watched through the one way glass even now as a specialist interrogated him, the masked man unsurprisingly getting nothing but back talk out of the man. Solo’s smirk was still firmly in place after an hour of being strapped down to the interrogation table. 

“Where is your base located?”

“Up your ass,” Solo replied easily. 

The masked Interrogator jabbed him in his bared side with his electrostaff, Solo’s teeth gritting and his back bowing as electricity coursed through his entire body. The buzzing stopped as the weapon was taken away, the Interrogator leaning in once again. 

“Where is your base located?”

“It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Lots of guys get experimental-“

Before he could finish his sentence the Interrogator once again electrocuted him, spiking the power up higher. Solo’s eyes rolled back in his head as the charge overtook his entire body, his sweat glazed form jittering and jerking uncontrollably. After what seemed like forever, the Interrogator removed the electrostaff from his side, an angry red welt marking the point of impact. 

“Fine. Fine,” Solo panted, his body still shivering from the after effects of the electrocution. He took in a deep breath, looking vaguely pained as he moved his bruised and battered face closer to the Interrogator’s. 

“The base… is located at…”

The Interrogator leaned in, Hux following suit as he moved closer to the speaker. 

“Your mother’s house.”

The buzzing resumed immediately, the electricity hiked up to almost twice its last level. Solo only laughed as his body convulsed, his head thrown back in manic amusement as the overhead lighting glinted off of his blood covered teeth. 

Hux watched, bewildered as the Interrogator deactivated the staff, looking to the one way transparisteel and shaking his helmeted head. Hux frowned, pressing the button to speak over the com. 

“That’s enough for today. Report any findings to Captain Phasma and return here tomorrow,” Hux snapped, taking his finger off the button and flipping the switch to turn up the opacity of the one way viewport as he always did before speaking to the prisoner. 

The Interrogator stepped out of the room, moving aside for Hux to walk in. Solo didn’t even look up as he entered, his chest rising and falling deeply as he caught his breath.

“General Hux,” he greeted, amusement clear in his voice. “Any word from my _ dear _ mother and father? Are they worried sick?” 

Hux frowned at his mocking tone, moving to stand beside him so he could properly look down at his bloodied face. 

“You knew they wouldn’t come for you,” he observed, his tone even as he stared down into those red lined eyes. 

“Of course, General. This is war, afterall,” Solo said easily as if reciting a line, eyes half lidded as he returned the gaze. 

Somehow his eyes told Hux everything the rest of his body perfectly concealed. He was exhausted, hungry; suffering. His body ached from the days of abuse heaped upon it, but he was resigned to this new routine. He was resigned to being abandoned by the people who swore to love and protect him, all for the sake of war. 

Hux didn’t know how to react to this new insight; didn’t quite know where it had even come from, but it struck something deep inside him. 

He had always thought of the Resistance as a disorderly group of self sacrificing fools who would risk life and limb to save even the most inconsequential being, so long as they were one of their own. He had never imagined that they would simply leave one of their own, especially one so apparently important to their cause, to die at the Orders hands without so much as a second thought. 

Hux couldn’t help but think of their roles reversed. If it had been he who had been captured by the enemy, a General of the First Order and certainly a key piece to its plan for the galaxy; would his own father have lifted a finger to save him?

The cold blue eyes of Brendol Hux flashed through his mind, the sound of his own name spoken by his father with such utter disdain it turned his stomach, echoing around his thoughts. 

_‘Armitage, you ungrateful whelp. I should have left you to die at the hands of those rebel invaders on Arkanis. At least then you wouldn’t be around to disappoint me with your shortcomings.’_

He knew instantly that the answer was most assuredly no. 

Cold blue was replaced by deep brown as Hux came out of his thoughts. 

“Do you pity me, General?” Solo inquired, his expression so open it almost made Hux self conscious. 

“No,” Hux replied shortly. He didn’t feel pity, he felt something much worse; understanding. Sympathy. Ever since Solo had arrived, ever since the first moment he’d seen him, he’d been somehow… different. It was as if there was a new presence in his mind; one that didn’t belong solely to him, and that thought in of itself was enough to terrify the typically unshakable young General.

Hux resisted the urge to retreat a few steps. Solo had his arms and legs bound to the table before him; there was no reason for Hux to feel so threatened by him all of a sudden. 

“General,” Solo said, his words cut off as he coughed dryly. Without thinking, Hux approached the metal bench at the far wall, picking up the small tin of water Solo had left there. 

Those discerning eyes locked onto him curiously as he pressed the button to raise the table until Solo was in a more upright position and held the tin to Solo’s lips, allowing him to gulp down the remainder of the water in it. Once he was finished Hux quickly pulled away, replacing the tin where he’d gotten it.

He couldn’t understand what had possessed him to do such a thing.

“Thank you,” Solo said, his voice not nearly as hoarse as before. Hux frowned slightly at those words; a customary response when someone is kind to you. Ben Solo had suffered days of torture, starvation, and cruelty, and yet he thanked Hux so gently for allowing him to take a sip of water to sooth his parched throat. Hux felt sick to his stomach. 

“You’re a confusing man, General Hux,” Solo stated, letting his head fall back and closing his eyes. His tangled nest of hair, still partially tied up and matted with days of sweat, grime, and blood, framed his pale face like a dark halo and Hux suddenly couldn’t seem to look away. 

“You seem so cold and unfeeling, and yet your actions just now were gentle; almost kind. I believe you when you say you don’t pity me, but perhaps you do feel something for me in my current situation? Something more personal.”

Hux tensed considerably at the pilot's ramblings, unable to look away from him even as those eyes opened once more, his gaze penetrating as he openly regarded the General. 

“Careful, Solo,” Hux warned, schooling his features into a look of cold contempt that came almost naturally to him. 

“Do you feel something for me, Hux?” Solo continued, ignoring Hux’s words of admonition in favour of lifting his head to look directly at him, his familiar smirk stretching across his bloodstained lips. 

Hux’s eyes widened minutely, and he was mortified to feel blood rushing to his face. Once again, that sensation that he was not alone in his own mind returned and he fought hard against his own instincts to turn the other way and run.

His gaze connected once again with Ben’s and he balked at the shear and open amusement he found there. Cold dread filled his veins with ice and he sent the man a deadly glare, leaning down into his personal space. 

“I feel nothing for you,” he hissed, revelling in the open mouthed stare he received in return. 

Hux then straightened himself, head tall, shoulders back, and typical cool glare in place before turning on his heel and entering his code to open the door. The moment the door had closed and locked behind him, he approached the Troopers standing guard. 

“Go into that cell and watch him. If he does anything so much as breaths suspiciously, alert me immediately.”

The Troopers saluted, quickly moving to fulfill his command. Hux took in a deep breath, making his way to his quarters as quickly and with as much decorum as he was able. The moment he was behind his own closed door, he slumped into the plush blue cushions of his couch. 

Immediately the memories of that cursed feeling returned to the forefront of his mind; the feeling that he wasn’t entirely alone in his own mind, as if some parasite had made its way in and taken residence. The very thought sent shivers down his spine. 

What was that feeling, and why was he experiencing it only now that Ben was present aboard the ship?

_ ‘Solo,’ _he corrected himself, the casual manner in which he had thought that name increasing his discomfort. A General should not be on a first name basis with the son of his greatest enemy.

_ ‘Do you feel something for me, Hux?’ _

The question had left him utterly speechless, as had the sight of those sinful lips quirking to form that dangerous smirk. Those soulful eyes had pinned him under their intense gaze and, for the first time in many years, he had felt well and truly helpless; like a taxidermic moth pinned down in a display case. 

He was snapped out of his thoughts as his door buzzed loudly.

He dismissed his paranoid inner ramblings, hurriedly sorting himself out as he stood to answer. 

“What is it,” he snapped, stopping short as he took in the sight of an out of breath and frantic Lieutenant Mitaka. 

“It’s the prisoner, Sir. He’s escaped,” Mitaka panted, supporting himself with his hands on his knees. 

“He what?” Hux snarled, immediately jumping into action and hurrying down the corridor, directly past a group of startled technicians, no doubt further concerned at the sight of their General running. 

_ ‘Propriety be damned,’ _ Hux thought savagely as he sprinted to the hanger, skidding to a halt in front of the transparisteel that separated him from the docked ships and the now open airlock. Stormtroopers and TIE Fighter pilots alike swarmed the area around him, all eyes locked onto the modified X-Wing they had captured Solo in as it came to life. 

Hux watched seethingly as it rose from the ground. Amused brown eyes met his enraged sea green through the viewport of the ship as that soft deep voice suddenly and inexplicably echoed in his head. 

_ “I want to thank you for your hospitality, Armitage, as well as your apparent ignorance to my mother’s Skywalker origins. I look forward to seeing you again very soon.” _

He could’ve sworn Solo winked at him before shooting off at top speed, his X-Wing disappearing through the bay doors in a blur of silver, black, and red. 

The bay doors closed automatically behind him. The second they were shut and the airlock was sealed, Hux turned on the personnel surrounding him, red faced and fuming. 

“Well?! Go after him! Bring him back alive!” Hux barked as they all rushed past him into the hanger to board their ships. 

“Sir,” Mitaka called, approaching him clumsily with his datapad in hand. 

“I’ve accessed the security imager feed of his cell. You’ll want to see this.”

Hux snatched the datapad from the startled Lieutenants hands, eyes taking in the sped up sight of the cell as he exited and the Troopers he’d ordered to guard Solo entered. There were a few moments of nothing before Solo raised his hand as much as he was able with his restraints, waving two fingers in an arc. His lips moved, though Hux could not tell what he was saying. Hux watched in disbelief as the Trooper nearest to him raised his blaster and promptly shot the other Trooper dead. 

Solo repeated the odd hand motion, speaking once again. The Trooper then dropped his weapon and approached Solo, undoing his bonds and standing aside as the man jumped up from the table, picking up his discarded vest and the Troopers blaster. He quickly dispatched the dazed Trooper before glancing directly toward the camera and winking roguishly. With that, he walked to the door and entered in Hux’s own personal code, disappearing through the now open door. 

Hux’s head shot up from the feed as explosions sounded from the hanger, sending tremors through the durasteel floor beneath his feet. He watched in absolute open mouthed horror as, one by one, every TIE Fighter that had made an attempt to take off after their errant prisoner burst into flames, the panicked pilots all but tumbling out and fleeing before they were burnt to a crisp. 

That absolute bastard had played him like a Gasan string drum. And the worst part was…

Hux couldn’t even find it in himself to hate him. 

………

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m honestly thinking about turning this into a series. Let me know if you’d like me to write more!
> 
> ~Cynical


	2. All the Fear and the Fire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~Chapter Vibe~
> 
> https://youtu.be/N4rKN_qW5DU
> 
> Hi. I totally rewrote this chapter because I hated the previous iteration. I plan to go through the entire story and change the pacing and fix plot holes, so stay with me. Thank you for your patience and kind comments!
> 
> ~Cynical

The sensation of sitting in the cockpit of a T-70 X-wing was nothing short of ecstasy. The thrum of the fusial thrust engines as the ship cut through the black of space like butter, the buzz of the power generator at the back of the pilots chair, the distinct smell of ozone, the smooth plasti and transparisteel of the control panel; every single aspect of it brought a sense of utter calm to Ben Solo’s frayed nerves as he tried his utmost to keep it together. 

His nerve endings were set alight the moment he’d entered hyperspace, days and days of torture suddenly catching up to him all at once, washing over him like a torrential downpour on Eadu. His side was the worst of it. The skin where the pronged electrostaff had jabbed through was blackened and leathery. It stretched painfully with every breath he took, but the more searing pain came from what he assumed to be the exit wound on his other side just above his right hip. 

He took several shallow breaths through his nose, trying his best to keep from exacerbating the wounds. He wasn’t particularly worried about them; they’d heal up nicely enough with no real trouble. The internal damage however would definitely present a challenge until he reached a bacta tank. 

“BB-9, you can come on out now,” he called back, an affirmative beep following as the BB unit emerged from a small supply locker in the back of the ship. 

“Why don’t you go ahead to the socket? I’m gonna need you.”

The black and blue painted droid let out another beep before rolling to the lift and rising to plug into the Astromech socket. 

“Ok, little guy. I need you to take over for the rest of the way,” he said, groaning as he shifted back in his seat. 

“There’s something I need to do.”

Ben took a deep breath and channeled his energy, focusing on the blue streaks of stars as his trusty ship soared past them. His breathing began to even out as he surrendered his entire being to the force. 

_ “Mother,” _ he called out, his eyes falling closed. 

He waited in silence, the pain in his body dimming as he stretched out his consciousness like astral fingertips reaching out through the ocean of blackness ahead. 

_ “Ben.” _

………

Ben could hardly tell how much time had passed before his ship fell out of hyperspace. His insides jolted at the change, shaking him back to full consciousness. 

He glanced down through the transparisteel sensor window, the familiar sight of D’Qar below bringing him a stark sense of relief. He took back control of the ship from the BB unit and steered down toward the planet's surface in a nose dive, swooping up over the dense tree line. Muscle memory kicked in and in a short few minutes he was touching down on the flight pad and pulling into his assigned subterranean compartment. 

With a groan, he opened the hatch and pulled himself most of the way out of the cockpit of the X-wing, met immediately with the stern faces of his father and Chewbacca. 

“Oh… Hey Pop,” he said, a guilty smile stretching across his bruised face. He winced as the cut on his lower lip reopened at the stretch. 

“Uncle Chewie,” he continued awkwardly, the silence of the compartment absolutely deafening. 

“Do you have _ any _ idea how much trouble we’re in?” Han questioned, arms crossed and countenance stern as he stared up at Ben. 

“How angry is she?” Ben asked, eyebrows knitting together wearily. 

Chewie let out a few short grunts and Ben sighed. 

“Well let’s hope she changes her tune a bit when she hears what I’ve learned,” he replied, grunting in pain as he attempted to pull himself out of the cockpit. His hand flew to his injured side, clutching it in pain. 

“I’ll talk to her right after a few hours soaking in a bacta tank,” he continued, sinking back down into his seat with a whimper. 

His father shot him a worried look before exhaling through his nose and pasting on a tentative smile. 

“Yeah, you better. I don’t think I can take another week of sleeping in the Falcon’s crew quarters,” he jibed, twisting and stretching his back out with a loud pop. 

Ben snorted, taking a moment to catch his breath before glancing towards the visibly concerned Wookie beside his father. 

“Hey Chewie, would you mind helping me out of this thing?”

………

~

_ “Ben.” _

_ The name echoed around his consciousness like the whisper of wind through the trees, the voice a familiar one; safe. _

_ Ben tried to open his eyes, but flinched at the blinding white light that met him. He moved his arms up to rub at his face with shaking hands, but his movement was sluggish and met with unusual resistance, as if the air surrounding him was liquid. _

_ “Master?” he heard himself say, his hazy vision clearing to reveal the familiar form of his uncle, seated on a large flat rock. He’d hardly moved from his meditative position, the backs of his hands resting on his knees, palms up and open. The rest of his surroundings were washed out and blurry, and refused to come into focus no matter how hard Ben tried. _

_ “You had all of us rather worried, my young Padawan,” Luke stated, discerning blue eyes moving up to meet his. _

_ “I know, Master,” Ben answered, trying to move toward his uncle but finding his advance blocked by what felt like a rounded wall of transparisteel; a bacta tank. _

_ “But it was necessary.” _

_ “So you found what you were looking for?” Luke inquired, turning back to face the blankness before him, eyes slipping closed and shoulders growing relaxed. _

_ “Yes master. I did.” _

_ Luke nodded his approval, exhaling through his nose before rising in one fluid motion. _

_ “Very good,” he said, approaching Ben with a small rare smile. Immediately Ben’s chest swelled with pride, doubling as Luke reached out to pat his shoulder. _

_ “But now that you are home safe, thank the maker, I need your assistance here.” _

_ “Mother won’t be too happy about that,” Ben answered with a snort. “Uncle Chewie says she’s threatening to demote me and keep me confined planetside.” _

_ Luke chuckled shortly, tucking his hands into the sleeves of his long grey robes. _

_ “I’ve already spoken to your mother. She understands the importance of your role here and has agreed to let you go.” _

_ Ben’s smile widened considerably and he attempted a short bow, foiled once again by the tubes and bacta tank confining his physical form. _

_ “Thank you, Master.” _

_ “Oh don’t thank me yet, young Padawan. You still need to speak with her.” _

_ With those parting words, Ben’s vision began to swim, white light swirling and growing brighter and brighter and brighter and brighter… _

~

He jolted back to himself as his head surfaced from beneath the bacta. His senses took a short while to adjust as he allowed himself to be levered out of the tank, droplets trailing down his face and tickling his nose. 

Once he was set safely on a cot, a towel wrapped around his shoulders by the particularly fussy Medical Droid, he spit out the O2 tube and attempted to comb the hair from his face. He cursed as his fingers snagged in the no doubt ridiculously tangled and filthy mess. 

He had no time to fix the situation though, as the sound of the medbay doors swooshing open caught his attention before he was blind sided by a solid punch to the arm. 

“You crazy son of a- I can’t believe you did that!” Poe exclaimed as he came around into direct view, an impossibly wide grin stretched across his tanned face. 

“Hi Poe,” Ben greeted tiredly but fondly, slouching as he rubbed his arm. He wrinkled his nose as Poe grabbed either side of his face, planting a wet kiss on his forehead before wincing and sputtering. 

“You taste like bacta and shit and you smell even worse,” he said bluntly, wiping his lips on the back of his hand. 

“A byproduct of being imprisoned by the First Order for a week,” Ben shot back, yawning and stretching his arms over his head. 

The painful stretch of the entry wound was gone, replaced by only a slight pull. His hand trailed down to feel what had been the much gnarlier exit wound, finding freshly knit together skin in the shape of a rather significant scar. His fingertips trailed over a large dip and he drew his hand away, staving off the wave of nausea that hit him as suddenly as a speeder hits a wayward Womp Rat.

“Hey. You ok?” Poe asked, his tone much softer than before, hand on Ben’s damp upper back. His hand felt feverishly warm on his clammy bare skin, the sensation almost relaxing. 

“I will be,” he replied, pushing the heels of his hands against his closed eyes and groaning. 

“I have to go.”

Poe hissed through his teeth, his face twisting into a mix of sympathy and concern. 

“Reporting to mom?”

“Yep,” Ben sighed as he pushed himself to his feet. He swayed only slightly before catching himself and moving to grab the clean clothes that had been left for him, shuffling behind the privacy screen. 

“Well good luck with that. I’m off to-“

“Oh no, Poe. You’re coming with me. Don’t forget that it was _ your _plan too,” Ben pointed out, teeth clenching as he pulled the shirt on over his head, the thin white fabric sticking uncomfortably to his damp skin. 

“I was afraid you’d say that.”

………

The moment he’d walked into the council room, all eyes immediately locked onto him. Old Republic Officers, technicians, and pilots alike stared at him as if he were a ghost, or a triple headed Mynock. 

He could feel their awe and wonder; could _ hear _ the endless questions they all burned to ask him. 

A small figure in the very centre of the room turned, eyes that perfectly matched his own catching sight of him. 

“Everybody out.”

The single command cleared the room in a matter of seconds, leaving behind only Ben, Poe, Han, and a deathly silent Leia. 

She made her way towards them, stopping in front of Ben and reaching out. He complied with the silent request, bending at the waist to give her easier access. With gentleness characteristic of a mother, she took his face in her hands, looking over any injuries still visible after his soak in the bacta tank. 

“How long has it been since you’ve had anything to eat or drink?” she questioned, her tone even but soft as she turned his head to look at the bruising on his jaw, the slight cut on his lip, the bags under his eyes. 

“About a week,” Ben answered carefully. “They gave me enough water to live, but no food.”

“I see they didn’t allow you to bathe either,” she pointed out, tsking at the sight of his matted hair. 

“No, mom.”

Once she’d finished her inspection, the worry and gentleness seemed to wipe completely from her expression, the concerned Mother replaced by the stern General. 

“You must understand how much trouble you’re in,” she stated rather than asked, eyes flickering over to Poe. “All _ three _of you.”

Poe gulped audibly beside him and Han crossed his arms, unable to even look at her from his place behind her. 

“Your plan was reckless and incredibly dangerous. You could’ve gotten yourself killed,” she continued, fixing him with a deep sombre frown. Just the sight of it almost made him regret his actions. 

“It was worth the risk, Mom,” he insisted, shoulders straightening at a rather unimpressed look from Leia.

“You were right,” he pressed on. 

“The First Order _ is _working on something. And it’s so much bigger than any of us could have predicted.”

“What is it, kid?” Han asked, stepping forward, his brow wrinkled with sudden worry. 

Ben took a deep breath, the image he’d pulled straight from General Hux’s mind coming to the forefront of his memory. 

“It’s a base; a base that will house a super weapon capable of destroying entire systems in one go.”

“A new Death Star,” Han breathed, blindly reaching back to feel for a chair before slumping down into it. 

“Worse. It’s called Starkiller. It’s being built in the core of a planet in the Unknown Regions, though I wasn’t able to find out which one. 

“How did you find this out?” his father asked, running his fingers through his hair, his eyes suddenly much older looking; exhausted. 

Memories flashed through his mind suddenly of a pale hand offering him a drink of water; of shockingly green eyes, they’d always looked so blue in the propaganda holos, filled with confusion and curiosity as they stared back into his. 

“I managed to tap into their General’s surface thoughts and found his plans,” Ben answered, clearing his throat nervously. “The weapon is his creation.”

He didn’t miss the glance Poe shot at him, nor the curiously quirked brow. 

“We’ll look into this immediately,” Leia stated, opening her mouth to continue when Han rose and wrapped an arm around her small shoulders, pulling her against his side. 

“But next time,” he added as he looked to Ben. “Maybe clue us into the full plan beforehand instead of just telling us not to come get you. It took a lot of convincing to keep Chewie from storming that ship single handedly.”

“And Ben,” Leia said, her visage suddenly shifting once more to concerned Mother as she placed a gentle hand on his grimy cheek. 

“Though this mission was _ technically _successful, please remember that no amount of information is worth your life.”

“Yes, Mother,” he nodded, placing his own hand over hers and squeezing. 

“Now, hurry and get washed up and dressed. Your Uncle has stressed the importance of your presence at the temple, so it’s best not to keep him waiting.”

She turned toward Poe once again, placing her free hand on his upper arm with a serious expression. 

“Poe, go with him. Make sure to keep him safe.”

Poe bowed his head, a small smile spreading across his face. 

“You can count on me, General.”

Leia’s stern exterior broke for just a moment as she offered them a proud smile, brown eyes glimmering. 

“I know.”

………

Ben took in a deep breath, feeling almost human for the first time in a week. He hadn’t quite realised how grimy he’d become in the week he’d been imprisoned until he’d stepped into the refresher. The residual scent of the Finalizer had been scrubbed from his skin until it was pink, the last bit of physical evidence of his capture swirling down the drain of the sanistream. He’d watched the water, tinted brown with dirt and dried blood, disappear through the grate, staying under the spray until the water came out clear. 

Dressing quickly in his father’s old hand me downs, securing his belt around his hips and the attached holster around his thigh, he deemed himself ready to go. Grabbing his duffelbag and a ration bar, he made his way through the corridors of the base, chewing the bland bar slowly to feed the grumbling in his stomach that had only just started up again, as if his body had forgotten it needed food for sustenance until just then. 

_ ‘But, then again, that’s exactly what happened,’ _ he mused as he stepped out of the subterranean base and into the open air, breathing in the fresh scent of morning. 

“Hey, there he is! You actually look a little more alive, now,” Poe joked as Ben approached, making his way toward the flight pad where the Falcon resided. 

Poe’s grin was just as unwavering as usual, his brown leather jacket slung over his shoulder and a small duffelbag at his feet. 

“I _ feel _ a little more alive. I didn’t realise just how disgusting I felt until I stepped into the ‘fresher,” Ben admitted. 

“Still couldn’t run a brush through my hair, though.”

“I can tell,” Poe shot back, smirking as he turned on his heel, lifting his bag and lowering the boarding ramp of the Millennium Falcon. 

The two boarded in companionable silence, dropping their bags in the main hold and heading down the cockpit access corridor. 

Poe dropped into the pilots seat, Ben taking the co-pilots as they began their preflight checks. The routine was relaxing; yet another reminder that he was home safe and not stuck in that horrible little cell. 

“Hey,” Poe said, snapping him out of his thoughts. 

“Get some rest, Solo,” he insisted, expression far more serious than usual.

“You certainly deserve it.”

Ben couldn’t bring himself to argue, pushing himself up from the co-pilot’s seat and making his way toward the crew quarters. He dragged his feet the entire way there, his exhaustion truly beginning to register the moment he stepped through the doorway. 

He yawned deeply, sinking down onto the unmade bunk and pulling off his boots with a grunt of effort. His shirt came next. He payed no mind to where he tossed it, resolving to worry about that when he woke up. 

As he settled back into the bunk, his mother’s words from before came to the forefront of his mind, filling him with pleasant warmth. 

_ ‘Please remember that no amount of information is worth your life.’ _

He suddenly recalled the thoughts he’d felt from General Hux; the memory of his father’s cruel words, the resolve in the knowledge that, had it been he who was captured by the Resistance, his father would have unhesitatingly left him to die.

The warm glow that had overtaken him shifted to a strange and lukewarm melancholy. 

_ ‘I shouldn’t feel sympathy for a First Order General,’ _ he told himself pointedly, rolling onto his tender side and sighing. 

_ ‘But I do…’ _

With a deep sigh, Ben closed his eyes. He’d think about that later. Everything that was troubling him could be thought on after he‘d gotten some well needed rest. 

………

~

_ When he opened his eyes he was back in the interrogation cell on the Finalizer, sterile durasteel walls surrounding him on every side; the very sight had him flying into a panic, his chest aching as his heart and lungs worked in double time, trying their utmost to pump extra blood and oxygen through his veins. A cold sweat broke out over his brow, and he tried to move to wipe it away, but found he had no control over his faculties. _

_ Something felt different then before. He wasn’t alone. He didn’t realise immediately that he was staring at his own face until he spoke and it wasn’t his voice that came out. _

_ “You knew they wouldn’t come for you,” General Hux’s clear Imperial accented voice spoke. _

_ He watched as his own expression changed, his exhausted eyes meeting his, Hux’s, gaze. _

_ He could once again feel that same sense of disbelief that the Resistance could be so uncaring, so cruel. He could feel the sadness and sympathy that sprang forth so unwillingly in the General’s mind. _

_ Suddenly he, Hux, was sitting in a dull grey room looking out of a viewport overlooking an equally dull grey rainy sky; Arkanis. _

_ He caught a glimpse of his reflection in the glass. He was startlingly young, somewhere around 5 years of age. His large sea green eyes watched blankly as hundreds of ships landed on the surface of the gloomy planet, thousands of Rebel Soldiers pouring out, small blurry orange dots in the downpour of rain. _

_ “Armitage,” a man’s voice called. Hux turned to see a man, his father, standing in the doorway. Ben felt his visceral fear as his father approached him, grabbing him by his scrawny pale elbow. _

_ “Don’t just stand there and watch, foolish boy. We need to leave.” _

_ Ben blinked as the scene shifted from the empty bedroom to the inside of a small shuttle. He felt Hux’s fear of the rebels finding him; his desperate desire to see his mother again coupled with the knowledge that he never would. _

_ He was back in the cell instantly, once again staring at his own face. _

_ “Do you pity me, General?” his own voice asked. _

_ “No,” Hux replied truthfully. _

_ “But you feel something,” he almost whispered, his own dark eyes half lidded. _

_ “What do you feel, Armitage?” _

~

………

The wonderfully familiar sound of the purring engine of the Millennium Falcon was the first thing Ben registered as he slowly slipped back to consciousness. His eyes, glued shut from sleep, cracked open to take in the sight of, not a First Order cell, but the cozy galley his father had furnished for his mother as a gift. 

The smell of slightly stale sheets, rather than General Hux’s cologne, was the second thing he registered, the memory of his father complaining about his week long banishment to the Falcon making him chuckle quietly to himself. 

He sat up groggily, stretching his arms above his head and groaning at the several pops that sounded. Holding out his hand, he summoned his discarded shirt to his hand, pulling it on over his head. He shoved his feet into his boots and rose slowly, the residual ache in his muscles the bacta hadn’t managed to vanish making him wince as he walked out of the crew quarters. 

He made his way slowly toward the cockpit, stopping in the main hold to dig through his duffelbag for his vest, donning it and continuing on down the cockpit access corridor. 

“Ah, so you’re finally awake. You’d think you would’ve gotten plenty of sleep while you were floating around in bacta.”

Ben let out a soft huff of laughter, slumping down and sitting back in the co-pilots seat, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Images from his dream seemed to be trapped behind his eyelids, coming back to him every time he blinked. He tried to shake them away; tried not to think of melancholic sea green eyes. 

“So…” Poe spoke, breaking the momentary silence. 

“What, Poe?” Ben replied with a falsely annoyed tone, slouching lower in his seat and resting his foot on the side of the console. 

“Ben, I’ve been waiting for two days while you slept off your little adventure. Aren’t you gonna tell me what happened? I mean, clearly you made it out alright, but what was it like to be a First Order prisoner?”

Ben sighed deeply, rubbing a hand over his face. 

“I don’t recommend it,” he stated, smirking at Poe’s snort of amusement. 

“It was miserable,” he continued. 

“The minute I was captured, they stowed my ship in their hangar and threw me into a cell. I was really banking on them not knowing who I was, but they figured me out pretty quickly. I suppose I should’ve expected as much. 

“After a few days of getting nowhere with their regular interrogation tactics, withholding food and water, keeping me awake, not letting me bathe, etcetera, they brought in an interrogator. It was a pretty desperate move on Hux’s part, honestly-“

“Hux? As in the _ General_?” Poe interjected, looking to Ben with concern written across his features. 

“Yeah. General Hux,” Ben corrected himself, trying his best to keep his expression neutral. 

“He was a frequent visitor. He came in almost every day after the Interrogator left and tried to goad me into speaking.”

Ben hadn’t realised he’d started smiling until it was too late, Poe staring at him in utter disbelief. 

“And were these visits from the old General… _ enjoyable_?” Poe teased, waggling his eyebrows suggestively. 

“As enjoyable as interrogations from your sworn enemy could be,” Ben snorted, shoving at Poe’s shoulder. “And he’s not old. I’d guess he’s maybe only four or five years older than me.”

He regretted his words the second they spilled from his lips, rolling his eyes at Poe’s exaggerated and falsely scandalised gasp. 

“I know that look on your face. You aren’t telling me everything,” Poe insisted, his tone almost conspiratory.

Ben rubbed at his temples in aggravation and considered his options. He could just ignore Poe, or change the subject; or lie. 

Unbidden, the memory of the General’s face after he’d suggested the man cared for him, those sea green eyes widening in surprise, pale cheeks flushing red, pink lips dropping open, flashed to the forefront of his mind. He’d meant the statement to anger the General and throw him off guard enough in his hasty retreat to unwittingly show Ben his code to unlock the cell door. 

Though he’d succeeded in shocking Hux enough to carelessly reveal his code, it was most definitely not disgust at the proposition that he’d sensed. He didn’t quite know how to put the feeling into words. Thinking of it now lit a fire in his belly. 

“Alright. I give,” Ben sighed. “But this isn’t exactly going to be the juicy gossip you seem to expect.”

Poe nodded for him to continue, trying and failing to hide his excitement. 

“After I was captured, General Hux was the first person to speak to me. My plan was going well; he didn’t even know who I was at first. I thought I could just dip into his mind, get what I needed, and escape without my identity being revealed, but I was found out. 

“The moment he’d figured out who my parents were, he was convinced he could use me as bait. But, after a week of no rescue attempts, he realised that there was no one coming for me and…”

“And?” Poe pried, engrossed in his every word. 

“He had this _ vivid _ memory. I didn’t even mean to see it, but…”

_ ‘Armitage, you ungrateful whelp. I should have left you to die at the hands of those rebel invaders on Arkanis. At least then you wouldn’t be around to disappoint me with your shortcomings.’ _

Ben shook his head and sighed. 

“He felt sympathy for me. He thought that my parents weren’t even concerned about getting me back, just like his own father wouldn’t have been if he was the one that had been captured.”

There was a long moment of silence as both men seemed to process what had been said. Ben fidgeted with the hem of his vest, fingers tracing over the red piping, unable to sit still as he awaited Poe’s reaction. 

“Shit,” Poe stated finally, letting out a long exhale through his nose.

“I know.”

“And _ you _ felt sympathy for _ him_?” Poe questioned, sparing Ben a glance as he steered around a cluster of asteroids. 

“I…” Ben ducked his head a bit, his hand covering his eyes as his face began to heat up. “I feel _ something._”

Poe’s eyebrows shot up at that, his lips pursing. He had no time to reply though as they had reached their destination, silently going about the rather tricky process of landing safely on the surface of Yavin 4. 

The moment they had touched down, Ben felt his master’s presence. 

“Ben,” Poe said, finally meeting his gaze with such evident concern it made his stomach lurch. 

“We’ll talk about it later, Poe,” Ben promised, dropping the boarding ramp, grabbing his bag, and motioning for the other man to follow. 

“Later… Sure.”

………

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry this took so long! Updates in the future will probably take a little while as well because that’s just how this depressed bean rolls.
> 
> No but honestly I’m really trying to make this story special. I even calculated the distance in parsecs between Yavin and D’Qar and how long it would take the Falcon to travel there. Seriously. Fight me.
> 
> Leave me a comment and Kudos if you liked it! I appreciate all of you and hope you’re having a wonderful day!
> 
> ~Cynical


	3. Hope is a Dangerous Thing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~Chapter Vibes~
> 
> https://youtu.be/rY2LUmLw_DQ

Hux’s eyes snapped open in an instant, his breaths coming out unevenly and far too quickly. The hauntingly familiar scent of petrichor, cold durasteel, and medically clean linen lingered in the air. 

He had been dreaming, and he had the strangest feeling that he hadn’t been alone. 

“Lights thirty percent,” he instructed, squinting as his sleeping quarters were illuminated just enough for him to see his surroundings. 

He was completely alone. 

He honestly didn’t know what he’d expected to find. 

_ ‘Deep brown eyes, a smug smirk, and a blaster pointed directly between my eyes, perhaps?’ _ Hux mused to himself, scoffing at the very thought and picking up his datapad. He didn’t need to check the chronometer to know that he had an hour left in his rest cycle before he was needed on the bridge. He woke up at the same time every single day, and had done since he was a boy.

His head pounding, he sat up and stretched out his back with a groan, relishing in the brief satisfaction the series of pops gave. He rose from the firm mattress, the durasteel floor cold beneath his bare feet as he made his way into the main room of his quarters, grabbing his robe on the way.

Tapping a quick order into his datapad, he approached his desk, taking his seat behind it and looking through the reports from the commanding Officer on bridge duty, as was his usual routine. 

He could hardly get through the first sentence though before his mind wandered back to his dream. 

It was a day he hadn’t thought about it a good many years; the day the Empire fell. 

He’d been no more than five years old, just a boy watching life as he knew it falling apart before his very eyes. 

He remembered how terrified he’d been, the sight of orange clad Rebels pouring out of their ships and filling the square outside of the Imperial Academy burned into the backs of his eyelids. 

The vivid image of the invasion of Arkanis abruptly filtered out of his thoughts, replaced with large dark brown eyes with scattered green and gold flecks like flaring sunspots. 

Solo had been there somehow, inexplicably a voyeur in his dreams, an audience member privy to a show for which he did not have a ticket. 

Of course, Hux had no proof; he didn’t even have an explanation. It wasn’t as if the insolent Resistance pilot practiced some sort of sorcery. 

Instantly the memory of the recording from the security imager in Solo’s cell came to mind. The way he’d bent Hux’s exceptionally trained Troopers to his will with the wave of a hand. If that wasn’t some sort of sorcery, what _ was _ it?

He sneered at his ridiculous train of thought, setting aside his datapad as his door chimed. 

“Come in,” he called, the door opening not a moment later to allow in the small service droid with his breakfast. 

It wheeled in and set down the tray on his desk just as it did everyday, awaiting his dismissal dutifully. 

Hux waved it away, waiting until his door had closed and locked behind it before picking up his insulated drinking cup filled with piping hot water. Reaching into his desk, he pulled out his tin of Tarine tea, scooping five small spoonfuls of the loose leaves into a filtre and dipping it into the steaming water to steep.

He plucked up his datapad and the plain ration bar, taking a bite of the bland protein substitute as he settled back to continue looking over last shift’s reports. 

He was in the middle of Phasma’s Trooper training update, she had written a note recommending another round of reconditioning for her brand new FN unit, when he received a message from a private channel. 

_ ‘Report to the Holochamber at 0600.’ _

Hux frowned deeply, glancing to his chronometer. 

“Twenty phassking minutes,” he cursed under his breath, taking a far larger bite of the ration bar as he stood and walked around the desk. He picked up his cup of tea, trying his utmost to ignore the fact that it hadn’t yet finished steeping as he made his way into his refresher. 

He opened his cabinet, reaching in blindly and pulling out a small silver bottle, the contents of which rattled with each movement. He popped off the top, shaking two small white capsules into the palm of his hand. He took the pills with the still piping hot tea, hardly flinching at the temperature. 

As he waited for the stims to take effect, he went about quickly and methodically getting ready. Reaching back into the cabinet he pulled out a circular container, popping off the lid. He dipped his hand into the pomade, taming his golden red hair until not one strand was out of place. Thankfully a shave wasn’t necessary until the next day, so he moved on with his rushed routine. 

Going back toward his closet, he removed a nice crisp uniform, setting about putting it on with practiced ease. His dog tags clinked together softly as he pulled on his uniform jacket, clasping it over his black undershirt. He sat to pull on his freshly shined boots, taking a second to assure that the legs of his jodhpurs were properly tucked in before rising and grabbing his gaberwool greatcoat and cap. 

He choked down the rest of his ration bar and tea, giving himself one final once over to assure everything was in place before tucking his datapad into his coat and making his way out of the sanctuary of his quarters. 

His strides were purposeful as he made his way toward Snoke’s Holochamber, anticipation making his pulse race. He was anxious to update the Supreme Leader on his progress. Starkiller Base had been his pet project for the past few years and it was finally ready to be made reality.

He assumed that was why Snoke had summoned him so suddenly. 

He took deep breaths as he approached the door. He tried to calm his thoughts, imagining a familiar bland grey room. He could almost hear the white noise of a muffled lightning storm outside the curtain covered window, feel the soft crisp sheets on the bed, folded expertly with hospital corners; he could almost smell the cleaning fluid used to scrub everything until it shone just the way his father liked. 

Unbidden, the memory of that damned dream flooded back to the forefront of his mind. The way Ben Solo had looked at him with those big dark eyes full of melancholy and pity. 

The mere thought of it had anger and disgust swirling in his gut like a tempest on Arkanis. He was not to be pitied, he was to be feared. 

Hux straightened his back, raised his head up high, and pushed the doors of the Holochamber open. 

The towering figure of Snoke stared down at him from his throne, his presence absolute and domineering, casting a blue glow across the typically dim chamber. 

Hux made his way down the walkway, stopping near the end and placing his fist over his heart with a slight bow. 

“Supreme Leader,” he greeted crisply. 

_ “General Hux,” _ Snoke responded, his grumbling voice echoing throughout the chamber. 

Hux straightened, holding his hands behind his back with all the decorum and carriage expected of the General of the First Order. 

“Sir, the construction of Starkiller Base is perfectly on schedule. The excavation of the chosen planet will begin very soon. Additionally, I have a meeting today with the Protectorate of Kuat to oversee the construction of the Thermal Oscillator amongst other major structures.”

Hux couldn’t help but swell with pride as he spoke. He revelled in any and every opportunity to speak of _ his _ Starkiller; _ his _ creation. 

_ “Very good, General,” _ Snoke praised, his wrinkled countenance twisting into a rare pleased expression that set Hux a bit on edge. 

_ “But that is not why I called you here today. I would like to hear about that Resistance skirmish you mentioned in your latest report. What happened precisely?” _

Hux took in a deep breath, fighting to keep his expression neutral.

“Of course, Supreme Leader. The Resistance attempted to intercept our supply ships. They managed to take down only one before we neutralised the threat. Regardless, we have more than enough stock to last us until our next resupplying.”

_ “Were there any prisoners?” _ Snoke questioned. 

Hux tried not to wince, dread creeping its way up his spine like ice spreading across the surface of a lake. That bizarre presence in his mind returned abruptly, ringing like an alarm; a warning.

“There was one. He… managed to escape.”

Snoke froze as he seemed to take in Hux’s words. If he didn’t know better, Hux would suspect that their connection was faulty with how still the towering figure had become. 

_ “Escape,” _ Snoke repeated, his tone sharp and dark as his gaze bore into Hux. 

“Yes, Supreme Leader,” Hux replied, trying his utmost not to flinch beneath the withering gaze. 

_ “How,” _Snoke demanded, the rumble of his voice reverberating in Hux’s lungs, turning his stomach inside out with barely concealed anxiety. He could feel sweat begin to bead in his hairline, and he fought to keep his breathing even and calm. 

“I’m not entirely sure, Supreme Leader. It seems that he managed to convince a Trooper to kill his fellow and free him. He… used my own code to open the cell door and proceeded to sabotage most of the TIE Fighters in the Hanger before we’d even realised he’d escaped.”

Snoke remained silent for a long moment. His expression was deadly as he leaned down in the large throne, his enormous projected face staring down and pinning Hux to the spot. 

_ “What was his name,” _ Snoke growled, the alarm bells in Hux’s head ringing loudly as the air seemed to grow dense with an almost electric feeling. 

“His name was Ben So-“ Hux’s words were cut off in his throat as an invisible hand crushed his windpipe. He sputtered in shock as he was dragged closer to the projection, the toes of his boots just barely scraping against the black polished floor. 

_ “You allowed Ben Solo to escape!” _ Snoke boomed, his twisted features contorting further in rage.

“I didn’t know-“

_ “You didn’t know of his significance, is that correct? I’m not surprised. A force null weak minded fool like yourself couldn’t possibly know of that boy's importance to the future of the galaxy; of the Jedi! You believe the force to be a thing of fairytales and trickery, though you feel it’s power even now.” _

Snoke reiterated his point by tightening his invisible grip on Hux’s throat, the General’s face going red as he struggled to breathe. 

_ “Ben Solo Organa is the nephew and apprentice of the Jedi Luke Skywalker. Given the chance, that boy will destroy everything I have ever worked for, General.” _

Hux tried to choke out an apology, panicking and desperately grasping at his throat as his vision reddened at the edges, his panicked thoughts becoming static in his head. Suddenly he was released, his legs giving out underneath his as he collapsed to the floor in a heap. 

_ “I want you to find Ben Solo and bring him to me. Kill anyone that gets in your way.” _

“Yes, Supreme Leader,” Hux managed to rasp out, his throat aching as he gasped for breath. 

With that the entire chamber went dark, Snoke’s form disappearing with one last sneer. 

Hux pulled himself off of the floor, coughing weakly as he readjusted his uniform. He did his best to still his shaking hands, concentrating on breathing deeply. 

He had known somewhere in the back of his mind of Snoke’s abilities. He’d known the sort of things he could do, had even seen it demonstrated on others, but he’d never truly experienced it himself. He found himself hoping to anyone listening that he’d never have to experience it again. 

_ ‘Skywalker,’ _he thought once his mind was clear enough. He’d definitely heard the name before. He was sure every sentient being in the galaxy knew of Luke Skywalker’s part in the destruction of the Death Star. He knew of Skywalker as an exceptional rebel pilot, nothing more. 

_ ‘I want to thank you for your hospitality, Armitage. And your apparent ignorance to my mother’s Skywalker origins. I look forward to seeing you again very soon.’ _

With a sneer at the memory he resolved to research the matter further, thoroughly uncomfortable with the thought of being unaware of such important details. Pulling out his datapad with still unsteady hands, he checked the chrono to see his bridge cycle would begin shortly. 

With a sigh he made his way out of the Holochamber, firing off a quick message to Lieutenant Mitaka to send him every report in their databanks that included the name Skywalker. 

His headache only worsened. 

………

Ben took in his surroundings with a feeling of complete serenity. He’d always held the belief that Yavin 4 had the most beautiful forests of any moon in the Outer Rim. He let his hand trail over the purple bark of a massassi tree, closing his eyes and listening to the low pitched call of a Whisper Bird from above. Inhaling deeply through his nose, he smiled at the refreshing scent of non-recycled air.

“I gotta say,” Poe said as he stepped up beside Ben, clapping a hand on his shoulder as he took in the scene before them with equal pleasure. 

“I’ve missed this place.”

“Me too,” Ben admitted, turning slowly to face the direction of their destination.

“It’s a short walk from here.”

Poe nodded wordlessly, shouldering his duffelbag and following Ben’s lead. 

They walked in companionable silence. Ben was relieved at the lack of questions, though he could feel Poe fighting the urge to all but interrogate him about the General of whom the very thought of had him _ smiling _. 

_ ‘For kriff’s sake,’ _ he berated himself, shaking away the memory and pressing on through the dense forest.

They walked until they reached a clearing, a smile stretching across Ben’s face at the sight before them. 

A huge round courtyard took up the majority of the clearing, the ground paved with light and dark grey square stones that swirled inward in an alternating pattern, like a whirlpool in the oceans of Kamino. 

At the back of the enormous clearing sat a temple, a fraction of what it once was. The top few floors had been destroyed many many years ago, the absence of which turned the shape of the temple from a proud and towering pyramid to a jagged and uneven trapezoid. 

The local flora of the moon had almost overtaken it, lichen growing from cracks in the stone and spreading across the surface with a vengeance. What was once one of many staircases leading up the side had crumbled and split, a massassi sapling sprouting up between the two halves. 

Before the repurposed temple sat Luke Skywalker, surrounded on every side by twenty nine small children as they peacefully meditated. The air was thick with the force, the sheer energy of it electric enough to raise the hair on the back of his neck. 

He glanced back toward Poe with a quick smirk before carefully setting down his duffelbag and making his way into the circle of Younglings. He took the open space left for him, sitting beside his uncle and crossing his legs. 

He knew better than to participate in the meditation, so he simply allowed himself to sit and breathe in the pure energy of it. 

He held back a snicker when he spotted Poe standing at the edge of the clearing, fidgeting with his bag as if he didn’t quite know what to do. 

After a while longer of relaxed silence, the group took in a collective breath, exhaling together before breaking their meditative posture. 

Luke’s eyes met his and his uncle smiled. 

“Welcome back, Ben.”

Ben stood with Luke, the surrounding Younglings quickly following suite. He could feel their sheer excitement as they watched him closely. 

“Thank you Master. It’s good to be back,” Ben replied with a shallow bow. 

“Now, we don’t have much time for formality, so I’ll get right to the point, shall I?” Luke said, the Younglings sorting themselves into neat rows behind him, the youngest in front and eldest behind. 

“In this time of great uncertainty, it is not always possible to follow the traditions of the Jedi of old. By this time in your role as my Padawan, you’d be going through your trials to test your skill and dedication to becoming a Jedi Knight. 

“I, however, do not believe the trials necessary. I know you, my Padawan. Not only have you become more skilled in the ways of the force then I could ever have anticipated, but your sheer bravery and compassion make you the very model of a Jedi.”

Ben’s eyes widened as his uncle took the hilt of his lightsaber in hand, motioning for him to kneel before him. He obeyed immediately, sinking down to one knee and bowing his head reverently. 

“Ben Solo Organa,” Luke resumed, igniting the vivid green blade and reaching out with his free hand to gently take hold of his Padawan braid. 

“For your valor and strength in the force, for your faith in its teachings and your dedication to its ways, you are a Padawan no more.”

Ben watched in utter awe as the blade of the lightsaber was brought down on the braid, slicing it cleanly off. The vague scent of burnt hair filled the air, but he hardly noticed.

“Rise. You are now a Jedi Knight.”

Ben stood slowly and straightened his posture, meeting his Uncle’s gaze.

“Thank you, Master,” he said, chest swelling with pride. 

“It’s been an honour learning from you,” he said, holding back a grin as Luke handed him his severed braid. 

“The honour was all mine,” Luke said with a smile, patting Ben on the shoulder before turning back to the audience of Younglings. 

“Go back to your studies. There will be plenty of time to catch up later.”

Ben chuckled as the Younglings waved enthusiastically at him and Poe as they filtered into the temple, the sound of their soft chattering fading out and leaving them with the ambient sounds of the surrounding forest. 

“Leia told me what you found out during your little… adventure,” Luke spoke, turning once again to face Ben and Poe. 

“Building a monstrosity like that into a planet in the Unknown Regions is a bold move, even for the First Order. Surely there will be ways to trace this activity.”

“The First Order is unfortunately very good at covering their paper trails,” Poe stated, stopping beside Ben and shoving his discarded duffelbag into his hands. 

“Leia’s been trying to gather proof of their crimes for years now, but nothing she has is enough to spur the New Republic into action.”

“It’s the Trade Federation all over again,” Ben sighed, shaking his head disapprovingly. “If left completely up to the Senate, we’ll have a full repeat of the Empire's rise to power on our hands.”

“Well, it’s a good thing then that the fate of the galaxy is _not _entirely up to the New Republic,” Luke said, a single eyebrow raised in apparent amusement. 

Ben nodded his agreement, poised to answer when Luke’s mien shifted from easy to somber. 

“No matter, what you did was incredibly reckless,” he said, a line forming between his worry creased brow. 

“You of all people should know what dangers the First Order holds for you.”

“Yes, Master. I’m sorry,” Ben said, bowing his head.

Memories flooded his mind suddenly of the voice that plagued his dreams; the voice that tried its best to sow doubt into his young mind, to fill him with fear, anger, and hatred. The voice he knew was somehow connected to the Order.

Luke was standing right in front of him in an instant, placing a gentle and reassuring hand on his shoulder. 

“There is no need to dwell on what is past,” he said, the thoughts immediately fading just as quickly as they’d come. “Right now I need you focused on the present. The ultimate trial for the of age younglings approaches. I need you to stay here for a while and help me with their training in preparation.”

“Yes Master,” Ben nodded dutifully, the pressure of panic removing itself from his chest as he relaxed. 

Luke nodded his approval, patting his upper back before turning on his heel and entering the temple, leaving Ben and Poe alone in the courtyard. 

Ben sucked in a deep breath of fresh air through his nose, filled with a new sense of purpose. 

He was a Jedi Knight.

……… 

Hux wrinkled his nose in distaste at his surroundings as he stepped out of the shuttle he’d arrived in. He despised having to leave his ship for any reason. There were many who enjoyed shore leave or on-planet missions, their reasoning typically something along the lines of:

_ ‘You get to stretch your legs, breathe in some fresh air.’ _

To Hux, there was absolutely nothing refreshing about unfiltered air and beaming hot sunlight.

Kuat City was no exception. For one, it was impossibly bright and bustling, every man-made structure covered in green as if the forest were determinedly taking back its stolen land. 

And then there were the people. They were all rather flamboyantly dressed, strutting around in their finery like the insufferable aristocrats they were.

Hux had always found such displays distasteful; the peacocking of the uselessly wealthy. He tried his utmost not to show his disgust on his face. These pompous patricians had, after all, willingly bent their knee to the Order. That alone excused at least some of their more ridiculous customs. 

“General Hux,” a soft female voice greeted, pulling him from his musings. 

Hux glanced up to see a middle aged woman a few inches shorter than him, her black hair tied up in a neat bun. Her clothes were extravagant as expected, crafted from deep purple and pink silk and a gauzy material that flowed freely about her form. 

Hux did his best not to show his disdain, bowing his head respectfully. 

“Protectorate Vahn,” Hux addressed, the woman bowing her head in return. 

“I trust your journey was pleasant enough, General?” Vahn inquired, motioning for him to follow her. 

“Indeed it was,” Hux replied curtly, nodding for two nearby Troopers to follow as well before falling into step beside her as they made their way toward Hux’s entire reason for venturing from the comfort of his Star Destroyer; the shipyards. 

Vahn entered with a smile, leading Hux down a long pathway between several huge durasteel structures he recognised from his own designs. His discomfort was immediately set aside, his excitement taking over as he looked up across the scattered pieces of his creation; years of his career coming to fruition before his very eyes. 

_ His Starkiller. _

“As you can see, General Hux, production is ahead of schedule and going rather smoothly if I do say so myself,” Vahn stated proudly. 

“And you _ are _ assuring the quality of construction? Speed doesn’t matter in the slightest if there is even a single flaw in the weapons structure,” Hux fired back, watching with a quirked brow as the Protectorate’s back went briefly rigid, her posture defensive before she seemed to remember herself. 

“Believe me, General, my people will not let you down. Our shipyards have supplied exemplary Star Destroyers and other such creations to _ both _ sides of the war since its origin. Our craftsmen are the fastest and the finest in the galaxy. You will not regret putting the creation of your weapon into our very capable hands, just as I surely will not regret putting the protection of my people in the very capable hands of the First Order.”

Hux allowed his typical sneer to lighten, baring his teeth in a close approximation of a smile. 

“Indeed,” he answered promptly before motioning for the Protectorate to move on, eager to see absolutely everything.

………

The tour on Kuat had gone off without a hitch. The only flaw Hux had detected in the construction of his weapon had been a small oversight with the structure of the Thermal Oscillator. There were a few small pressure points in the chamber, but he was certain no one but himself would ever even notice such a small thing. 

Regardless of his excitement at seeing the construction of his weapon, he was relieved when he’d been able to return to the Finalizer, taking a moment after he’d stepped down the boarding ramp of the shuttle to breathe in a lungful of filtered air. 

He quickly made his way to his quarters, relieved when he managed to make it the entire way there without an interruption of any kind. He walked into the sanctuary of his own private space, activating the lock on his door and sinking into the ice blue cushions of his couch with a sigh. He didn’t bother removing his hat or coat, his mind much too preoccupied to worry over potential wrinkles. 

After the events of the day he should have been pleased with himself. The production of Starkiller was not only running smoothly, but was vastly ahead of schedule, but rather than feeling the pride that should accompany such news, he could only feel frustration at his Skywalker dilemma. 

On the shuttle ride back to the Finalizer, he’d taken the time to look over the reports Mitaka had sent him. They had been numerous and very informative on the topic of Luke Skywalker’s part in the destruction of the Empire, but rather unfortunately not terribly forthcoming on anything to do with his so-called force capabilities.

“Let’s see,” Hux said aloud, resting his head on the back of his sofa as he mentally catalogued every detail he’d learned thus far. He sighed tiredly, crossing his ankle over his knee and rubbing his temples to try and alleviate the headache that seemed to have become a permanent feature of his day to day life. 

“Luke Skywalker, brother of General Leia Organa and supposed Jedi, is the son of Anakin Skywalker, and the Uncle of Ben Solo.” 

Hux couldn’t help letting out a small chuckle, moving to press the heels of his hands against his closed eyes. 

He found it somehow difficult to imagine the insolent and strangely charismatic Resistance pilot as the grandson of the infamous Sith Lord, Darth Vader. 

He shook his head, rising from the couch and approaching a nearby cabinet to pull out a decanter of Abrax Cognac. He poured himself a glass, picking it up and swirling the aquamarine liquor around with an oddly detached feeling. He felt just as he had that morning upon waking; it was as if he was being watched. 

He raised the glass to his lips to take a sip, but his grip went slack as his eyes caught on the familiar figure of Ben Solo, just standing right there in the middle of his quarters. He barely registered the sound of the glass shattering against the floor, his breath catching in his throat as he stared open mouthed at the intruder. 

“How did you get in here?” he demanded without preamble, his hand immediately flying to the blaster holstered at his side under his greatcoat. 

“Answer me, Solo,” he spat, aiming the blaster with a steady hand and a sneer. The other man didn’t answer or even seem to acknowledge Hux’s presence, glancing to his left with a smile that was almost… soft. 

Hux lowered his blaster and took a hesitant step closer, his entire body tense and poised to attack at the slightest provocation. 

On closer inspection, Solo appeared to be speaking. His lips were moving, though there was no sound coming from them. He watched him confusedly as his deep brown eyes seemed to follow the movements of someone Hux couldn’t see. 

With the knowledge that his life was not currently threatened, Hux relaxed his guard and took a moment to look over the other man fully, taking in his appearance with no small amount of trepidation. 

His clothes were much different from the last time Hux had seen him; shirt, vest, and Corellian blood striped trousers switched out for an off-white shin length gaberwool robe with openings on either side of his legs, a black belt cinching the robe in at his trim waist, a tight dark grey undershirt with a high neck and ribbed sleeves, tight black croshide leggings, and black knee high boots. 

His hair was down and looked to have been washed and brushed, though there was a small strand that looked considerably shorter than the rest and burnt on the ends. He looked all around healthier; happier. Hux was suddenly struck with an oddly voyeuristic feeling as Solo’s face split in a genuine grin at whatever the invisible person holding the other side of their silent conversation had said. 

Suddenly those brown eyes met his and Hux’s heart jumped into his throat. He raised his blaster once again, finger poised on the trigger as Solo stared right into him, his expression one of utter… confusion?

Just as suddenly as he’d appeared, he was gone. Hux was left alone in his quarters once again, the flowery aroma of his spilled cognac wafting up to his nose. 

_ ‘What was that?’ _ he asked himself, his hands clenched tightly around his lowered blaster. 

_ ‘Was that something to do with the force?’ _

He berated himself for the thought the moment he’d had it, plucking a new glass out of the cabinet and pouring more Cognac, filling the glass a bit more full than usual and wasting no time in taking a large sip. 

He tried to seek some comfort in the burn of the quality liquor in his throat and belly. If that incident _ had _ been force related, Solo didn’t seem to have done it on purpose. He didn’t even seem to _ see _ Hux until just before he’d vanished. 

Hux frowned deeply, downing the rest of his cognac in one gulp. Taking a moment to glance around his quarters to make sure he was indeed alone, he made his way into his bedroom.

He’d sleep with his blaster under his pillow that night. 

………

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Here’s a reasonably quick chapter update! What a shock.
> 
> For Ben’s Jedi robes, basically imagine his robes in Force Awakens, but ✨Light Side✨ you know what I mean? If I could draw I’d do a little illustration for you but I’m garbage with full body anatomy.
> 
> I don’t know when the next chapter will be out because tomorrow is my birthday and I’m planning to get smashed and play Mario Cart.
> 
> Thanks for reading!
> 
> ~Cynical


	4. Don't You Want to Disappear?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Just some additional info I should’ve maybe included in the first chapter notes (I’ll edit it to put it there as well).
> 
> This story takes place five years before The Force Awakens. Ben is 24, Hux is 29, Poe is 27, and Rey is 14.
> 
> ~Chapter Vibe~
> 
> https://youtu.be/aPLhpkyNZ4A

Ben stared unblinkingly at the spot previously occupied by none other than General Hux. He couldn’t quite process what he’d just seen. Hux had definitely been there, aiming a blaster directly between his eyes with a look of utter determination, before disappearing into thin air like the memories of a dream fading upon waking. 

“Ben? Ben!” Poe shouted, placing a hand on his shoulder and shaking him gently. Ben blinked, snapping out of his thoughts as he glanced away to see Poe’s concerned face close to his own. 

“What happened, buddy?” he questioned, his voice gentle; calming. 

“I… I don’t know. I… We were talking and then I looked up and…”

“And?” Poe pushed. 

Ben tried to form a proper response, the words tripping over themselves on his tongue at the memory of those startled green eyes meeting his. 

“General Hux,” he breathed, his shoulders slumping as he finally lowered his guard. 

“He was standing right there. He looked just as startled to see me as I was to see him.”

“Woah wait. You saw _General_ _Hux_ just standing in the middle of the room? Is he still here?” Poe questioned, his arms immediately stretching out as he spun around as if he were feeling around for an invisible person. 

“No,” Ben shook his head, moving to sit on his bed and carding a hand nervously through his hair. “He disappeared a few seconds after I saw him.”

Poe’s fruitless search ceased immediately, his arms lowering to his sides. He looked perplexed as he took a seat beside Ben. 

“Was this… some kinda force thing? Do you think Hux might be force sensitive?”

Ben snorted at that, leaning his elbows on his knees and holding his head in his hands, pressing his fingertips to his temples to quell his throbbing headache. 

“No, he’s as force null as it’s possible to be. But the force  _ must _ have something to do with this. It’s almost as if it’s connected the two of us. I don’t know why, but maybe-“

Ben’s words were cut off as his door slid open, a small but familiar figure entering without knocking as she was wont to do. 

She’d grown taller since he’d seen her last, her frame thin and almost gangly. Her eyes were as bright as twin suns as she considered him, her skinny arms folded in front of her as she feigned annoyance. 

“So how long were you planning to wait before you came to say hello?” she inquired, frown wavering as if she were struggling not to laugh at her own joke. 

“Rey,” Ben greeted with a smile, rising and opening his arms. 

The girl's frown melted away instantly. She ran forward without hesitation, wrapping her arms around him tightly, burying her face in the front of his robes. He stumbled back just slightly at the impact, but righted himself quickly and returned the hug. 

“I missed you so much,” she said, her voice muffled as she squeezed him tighter as if determined to hold him there forever. 

“I missed you too, kid,” Ben replied, rubbing slow circles on her back as the two of them stood there just allowing the force to flow around them, their near life-long connection reaffirming itself. 

Ben could vividly remember the day Rey was brought to the temple. He and the other older Younglings had been practising their basic forms with their training lightsabers when the shuttle had appeared over the dense treeline, landing in an empty space in the large clearing. 

Luke had motioned for them to follow behind him as he set off toward the shuttle. Ben had watched as the hatch opened and Lieutenant Shara Bey stepped down the boarding ramp, carrying a small form bundled up tightly in a blanket. Poe had followed closely behind his mother, flashing a grin and a quick wave to Ben. 

Ben could clearly recall the sight of a small face emerging from within the folds of that thick blanket as Luke approached, large brown eyes darting around from face to face before landing on him. 

She’d been no more than three years old, but even then Ben could feel the sheer power radiating off of her. 

The two of them had very quickly become well nigh inseparable, Ben becoming the big brother she’d never had with Poe very quickly joining the equation.

He couldn’t help but smile at the nostalgia that flooded him along with those memories. 

Finally the two of them separated, breathing simultaneous sighs of relief. 

There was a short moment of relaxed mutual silence before Rey reeled back and delivered a deceptively solid punch to his upper arm. 

“Ow!” Ben hissed, rubbing the area gingerly. 

“I was worried about you, you nerf herder! You were only supposed to be gone for a month! What happened?”

“It’s a… long story,” Ben replied honestly. 

“Boy, ain’t  _ that _ the truth,” Poe snorted, approaching and wrapping an arm around Rey’s small shoulders. 

“Well you’ll have to find the time to tell it to me, then,” Rey said insistently, her stern gaze not leaving Ben even as she wrapped her own arm around Poe, leaning against his side. 

“But until then,” she continued, her expression relaxing as she released Poe and allowed her eyes to search around the room. 

“Master Luke sent me to get you. He needs to speak with you,” she announced, curiously picking up his vest from his pile of discarded clothes and pulling it on. It hung loosely off of her small frame, instantly reminding Ben of how he used to do the same with his father’s vest when he was still a youngling. 

“He sounded serious, but not  _ bad _ serious, so I wouldn’t be too worried.”

“Alright,” Ben sighed, rubbing a hand over his face before moving to make his way toward the door, ruffling her hair on his way much to her annoyance. He grabbed his dark grey cowl, pulling it on to drape around his shoulders and exiting his room with a quick wave. 

The air was crisp and cold as he walked out of the temple, the frosted grass crunching under his boots. He approached the clearing his uncle favoured for meditation, smiling to himself as, just as he’d figured he would, he spotted his uncle sitting on a large flat stone in the centre of the clearing, his posture relaxed as force energy buzzed around him. 

Silently, he moved forward and sat himself on the stone beside his uncle, criss crossing his legs and resting the backs of his hands on his knees. He took in a deep grounding breath, opening his mind, body, and soul to the force. 

They sat in complete silence for a long while, both simply taking in whatever the universe offered them.

Ben was reminded of his meditation lessons as a Youngling; he’d been so impatient, struggling to keep focus, wanting nothing more than to move or yell or fight. Opening his mind had been a terrifying thing at the time, something that he couldn’t find the courage to tell his uncle for fear of his reaction; his disappointment. 

Finally, Luke turned to face him, placing a hand on his shoulder and effectively breaking him out of his thoughts. 

“The time has come for the Younglings who are ready to go through their ritual rite of passage,” he stated, his words sobering as he fixed Ben with a meaningful expression. 

“Are you sure that’s wise, Uncle?” Ben inquired, his brow wrinkling in unease. “The First Order occupies the Unknown Regions. It’s unlikely we’ll be able to stay on Ilum unnoticed for more than a few days. That’s if we manage to sneak past their radar in the first place.”

“I’m aware of the risk,” Luke sighed, the lines around his eyes suddenly much more pronounced, as if the very thought of what may lie ahead aged him. 

“But the journey to the caves is tradition; one of the few we have left. I must go.”

Ben frowned thoughtfully, silently staring down at the smooth white surface of the rock they sat upon as if it would give him the answer he sought. 

“What if,” he started hesitantly, unsure of the next words he intended to speak. “What if I take them instead? Poe and I will travel to Ilum with those who are ready, and you’ll stay here with the rest of the Younglings.”

“Ben,” Luke started, concern heavy in his tone. 

“Think about it, Uncle! The First Order has been searching for you for years. It would be much safer for you to stay here with the little ones. We can’t risk losing them. Not again.”

Luke’s typical frown deepened. He looked suddenly exhausted as he sat there under the cover of the canopy of trees the surrounding forest provided. He postured as if he were going to argue, but Ben was insistent. 

“Uncle Luke, let me do this for you. I can handle it.”

At his words, Luke’s heavy brow softened, the tension leaving his shoulders. 

“I know you can,” he said without hesitation, cloudy blue eyes meeting Ben’s deep brown. 

“Very well. You leave for Ilum tomorrow morning.”

………

Excitement buzzed in the air as the eligible Younglings gathered in front of the Falcon, chattering softly to each other about the impending trip. Rey was the loudest of them all, as per usual. 

“I hope I’m the first one to find my crystal! I’ve been working on hilt designs for two weeks,” she said with a huge grin, the surrounding Younglings uttering scattered words of enthusiasm. 

Ben smiled at her enthusiasm, the innocent sight almost quelling his own worry. 

“Alright,” Ben called out over the commotion, looking over the crowd and doing a quick headcount; nine children in total. 

“We’ve gone over the plan several times, but we’ll do it once more,” he started, each Youngling immediately standing at attention as he spoke, eager to listen. 

“Ilum is a very dangerous place. Visibility is low on the surface so we’ll need to stick closely together. It’s imperative that we move as carefully and quietly as possible until we’re inside the temple. We don’t need to be attracting any attention from the planets inhabitants. 

“Be doubly careful inside the caves themselves. Stick towards well lit areas and stay together. If you encounter anything, don’t try to be brave. Get as far away from whatever it is and call for me. Am I understood?”

“Yes, Master Solo,” they replied almost in unison, each one seeming to try their best to look as serious as possible, though more than a few were already cracking smiles. 

He waited for a moment, watching as the nine Younglings started to fidget impatiently under his scrutinizing gaze. 

“Good,” he said finally. 

“Now let’s get going.”

The younglings excited chattering resumed as they ascended the Falcon’s boarding ramp in a single file line with their packs slung over their shoulders, Ben moving to follow behind them. 

“Ben,” Luke called out before he could take more than a step. He turned to face his uncle, the older man placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder as he fixed him with a meaningful gaze. 

“Be careful,” he said simply. Ben smiled, placing his own hand on his uncle's shoulder. 

“I will.”

Luke returned his smile, the lines around his eyes deepening. Very gently he pulled Ben into a hug, patting him on the back before pulling away. 

“May the force be with you.”

“And also with you, Master,” Ben replied, bowing his head respectfully before turning to make his way up the ramp. He waved goodbye to his uncle as the ramp retracted and the airlock hissed closed. 

Walking along the corridor, he stopped to glance into the Main Hold to see the younglings taking their seats, most of them squeezing onto the ugly orange couch, two excitedly turning on the holo Dejarik board while the rest took out their semi completed lightsaber hilts to work on. 

With a contented smile he turned and hurried to the cockpit, taking the copilot seat as Poe did one last pre-flight check. 

“Are the kids in place?” he questioned. 

“Yep. We’re ready to go.”

“Alright. Let’s fly a bunch of force sensitive preteens directly into First Order space, I guess,” Poe said, placing his hand on the throttle as Ben took the other and pushed forward in unison. 

“I guess,” he replied softly, watching through the viewport as the surface of Yavin 4 got further and further away. With a sigh, he leant back in his seat and did his best to relax. 

Everything would be fine. He would make sure of it. 

………

They had made good time, Ben and Poe alternating between piloting the ship to allow the other a chance to rest. The younglings were becoming more and more anxious as they neared the Unknown Regions. Ben couldn’t blame them. He remembered his first journey to the crystal caves. 

He had been fourteen and terribly nervous, plagued with nightmares the entire week prior to the day of the journey; terrible visions of his chosen kyber crystals vivid blue bleeding out of it at his touch, replaced by an angry red before cracking apart from the sheer corruption of his presence. 

He remembered how he’d cried from relief when his crystal had taken on that brilliant blue shade and had stayed that way. 

_ “The same colour as your grandfather. You will grow to be an exceptional fighter,” _ his uncle had said, pride sparkling in his eyes. 

Ben came out of his thoughts at the feeling of a small hand on his shoulder. He glanced sideways, smiling at the sight of Rey staring in wonder out of the viewport. 

“Ben, Poe, will you teach me to fly?” she inquired, not taking her eyes from the star speckled blackness ahead. 

“Sure thing, kiddo,” Poe answered with a grin, gently steering the ship to avoid some approaching debris. Ben huffed a laugh as her smile grew impossibly wider, reaching up to affectionately punch her shoulder. 

“Maybe we can ask to use Uncle Luke’s ship. This isn’t a great one to learn with,” Ben commented. 

Poe snorted at that. 

“You learned to fly in this. You just don’t want to face Han if it gets wrecked on your watch. Again,” he shot back, smirking at Ben’s answering glare. 

Rey smothered a laugh behind her hand, quickly avoiding Ben’s gaze like a repentant Loth Cat being chastised for swiping a fish off of a plate. 

“Speaking of not getting wrecked,” Poe started, flicking a few switches. “We’ve reached First Order space. I’m switching off our radar. Rey, let the others know we’re going dark.”

Rey nodded in understanding, scampering back toward the Main Hold as Ben and Poe switched places. Ben sat back in the seat, pulling off his gloves and grasping the steering. He could almost hear his father's voice, reassuring him and gently reminding him to relax. 

“May the force be with us,” Poe whispered as every function of the ship other than those strictly necessary powered down, leaving the stars as their only light source. Ben closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath.

He opened himself up to the force, his awareness of his immediate surroundings spreading out like searching fingertips. He pushed forward, his muscle memory kicking in as the Falcon jolted into action. He navigated carefully, letting his instincts guide him. He couldn’t say how much time had passed; whether it was seconds or hours. He was one with the ship as it glided through open space. 

The shape of the planet grew larger and larger in his mind's eye and he knew they were close. 

“There it is,” Poe breathed, his voice echoing across Ben’s consciousness. 

“Ilum.”

Ben went through the motions of landing the Falcon. He was dimly aware of Poe’s muttered words of encouragement.

He came back to himself suddenly, opening his eyes to see the familiar blur of white as flurries of snow immediately covered the viewport, melting on contact with the atmo-heated transparisteel. 

“We made it,” he said, exhaling through his nose as relief washed over his entire body. 

“Nice flying, Solo,” Poe said with a grin, ruffling his hair. 

Ben swatted his hand away, standing and making his way to the Main Hold, followed by the echo of Poe’s loud snort. 

The younglings glanced up at him, most of them in the middle of bundling themselves up in their coats and heavy robes. 

“Alright everyone, make sure you have everything you need. We won’t be coming back to the ship for three days,” Ben said softly. “Remember, stick together. Hold onto each other if you have to. We’ll be walking in a single file line. Don’t make any sudden movements and stay as quiet as possible.”

The younglings nodded, grabbing their things and following Ben and Poe to the boarding area. Ben reached out, releasing the airlock and lowering the ramp. 

“Just walk straight forward,” he whispered to Poe as he pulled up the hood of his cowl, motioning for the younglings to follow behind him.

Very slowly, they made their way down the ramp, Ben raising it once they were all out. He shivered, icy wind biting at his nose and cheeks. He glanced at his surroundings, barely seeing anything but solid white for miles. He took in a deep breath and held out his hand, heavy snowflakes parting at his beckoning to create a clear path at the end of which was the entrance to a grand cave carved intricately out of the rock and ice, flanked on either side by large ancient statues of robed figures.

“We have to hurry. The Gorgodons have most likely heard or scented us by now. They’ll be on their way,” Ben whispered, motioning for Poe to take the lead. 

Poe stepped forward, reaching back to take the proffered hand of the youngling behind him as he made his way toward the temple.

"Let's do that. I'd rather not get hugged to death by a giant furry lizard."

One by one the younglings traveled down the pathway Ben had created, Ben bringing up the rear with his free hand poised over his lightsaber cautiously. 

A ghastly roar echoed in the distance as they reached the entrance of the temple. The girl just in front of Ben whipped around fearfully at the noise, losing her footing with a muffle squeak. Ben’s hand shot out, grabbing the back of her hood and stabilizing her. As they reached the doorway, he ushered them all inside, reaching out his hand and beckoning to the force to pull the enormous doors closed. 

He smiled as he turned to see the looks of absolute wonder that flashed across every face as they took in their surroundings. 

The cave was vast, smooth black walls absorbing any and all light cast inside. The chamber just beyond the entrance displayed beautiful jagged kyber crystals jutting from the oil-slick black stone, glowing brilliantly white until the light hit them and brought out a subtle rainbow sheen. 

“It’s beautiful,” Poe breathed reverently. Ben nodded in agreement, turning to face the enamoured younglings as they dropped their packs to the ground and pulled down their hoods. 

“Welcome to the Crystal Caves of Ilum, a place most sacred to the Jedi, where you will be taking the next step in your training. For generations, Jedi younglings have come to these caves to find their kyber crystals, to bind themselves with the force in the most ancient of ways. This will not be a simple process. 

“In order to create a lightsaber, a Jedi must meditate over their crystal for a full day; become one with it through the force. This takes concentration and patience. If the bond is broken, the crystal will not be as powerful as it could potentially be. Choose carefully and keep your focus. Good luck, and may the force be with you.”

The nine younglings bowed their heads in respect with a collective murmur of: “Thank you Master Solo,” before scattering about the cavern. 

“Good speech,” Poe commented as he stepped up to stand beside Ben, nudging his arm with his elbow. “Very Jedi-y.”

Ben rolled his eyes. 

“Thanks. It wasn’t quite as eloquent as Uncle Luke’s was when I first came here, but I guess it did the trick.”

Poe smiled at that as they watched the Younglings split off into groups, dutifully searching for the crystal that called to them. 

“I remember the morning you left for here, you know,” Poe recalled. “Rey cried for days. Can’t say I was much better off.”

Ben let out a soft snort as Poe dropped his heavy pack onto the floor, grunting as his back popped. 

“I missed you too,” Ben replied. “I begged Uncle Luke to let you come with me, but he wouldn’t hear of it.”

“Aw,” Poe cooed teasingly, leaning his head on Ben’s shoulder and fluttering his eyelashes. 

Ben rolled his eyes for what had to be the millionth time that day, shoving him away with a badly concealed smile. 

“You’re impossible to have a meaningful conversation with,” he grumbled. 

A comfortable silence fell between them as they set about unpacking their supplies, beginning to prepare the rations they had brought. Poe set aside several plates on the flat surface of a large bench carved into the wall while Ben mixed the powdered protein and vegetables with water, watching as they took their shape. 

“Are you really ok being here again?” Poe finally said, just loud enough for Ben to hear. “I know this place brings back… unwanted memories.”

Ben’s eyes lowered to the floor, his smile fading a bit. He tried to think of reassuring words, but couldn’t seem to conjure any as Poe looked at him expectantly. 

“I don’t know,” he finally admitted, setting down the stirring rod. “I… I guess when I told Uncle Luke I’d go in his place, I didn’t consider my own feelings on the matter, I just knew it was something I’d have to do. It was like the Force itself was telling me this was where I needed to be.”

“Are you sure it’s the Force and not…” Poe trailed off, looking down at the plate he held. 

“No. He hasn’t occupied my thoughts in years,” Ben insisted, Poe relaxing at his words immediately. 

“Good,” he stated, handing Ben the final plate to prepare. “But you’re sure you’re gonna be ok?”

“I’m sure,” he said, mixing together the last of the powder for the instant meal. 

Before Poe could speak again, both men glanced up at a loud gasp that echoed in the cavern. 

Their eyes landed on Rey on the other side of the chamber, her hand resting on a crystal jutting out of the wall. The crystal shone brilliantly at her touch, shifting colours almost too quickly for the eye to see. 

Ben’s smile grew wide. 

“Very good, Rey,” he said as the other Younglings chattered excitedly around her. 

Her smile mirrored his as she went about the gentle process of removing her chosen crystal from its place. 

Poe stepped forward, his tone positively energetic, though Ben suddenly couldn’t register his words. His attention shifted from the excitement around him to the very distinct feeling that they weren’t alone in the temple. 

“Poe, stay here and keep an eye on them,” he said softly, Poe nodding unquestioningly as he took on a much more serious expression. 

Ben walked past the group of chattering Younglings, exiting the main chamber. He glanced across several of the the long labyrinth-like corridors that faced him, concentrating deeply and choosing the one he was pointed toward. He walked along the dimly lit tunnel, one hand slightly outstretched and the other hovering readily over his lightsaber at his hip. 

He recalled his first time wandering these tunnels, finding himself in the very hallway he walked down then. It was just as dark as it had been, but the darkness had not been frightening, rather hopeful, as just at the end of the corridor shone light.

~

_ “C’mon, Ben!” a voice called out, echoing back down the dim corridor.  _

_ Fourteen year old Ben smiled slightly, cautiously following his friend along the passage.  _

_ “Matty, I don’t really think we should be straying this far from the others. Remember what Master Luke told us,” he said as he glanced about, keeping a sharp lookout.  _

_ Mattias turned toward him, making a show of exaggeratedly rolling his eyes.  _

_ “Master Luke  _ told  _ us to follow our feelings and let the force guide us. And the force is telling me to go  _ this  _ way.” _

_ “I just think we should be careful, is all,” Ben continued, glancing back over his shoulder.  _

_ “Solo, we’re the last two without our crystals! If you wanna keep searching where we’ve already been for hours and risk getting stuck in here overnight, go ahead.” _

_ Ben conceded that point with a sigh, unable to think of an argument as he stumbled to catch up to the other Youngling.  _

_ They were approaching the end of the tunnel, the cool light growing brighter and brighter. Mattias boldly marched on, typical confidence radiating off of the blonde boy in waves, while Ben followed with much less sure footing.  _

_ Ben stopped abruptly as the distant sound of stone grinding against stone caught his attention. It sounded as if it were coming from inside the walls of the tunnel. He held his breath to listen closer, the pit in his stomach growing as he realised whatever it was was moving.  _

_ “Matty,” he called quietly, warning bells going off in his head as the noise grew closer and louder.  _

_ “Ben! How do you expect to find your kyber crystal if you’re scared of everything? A Jedi can’t be afraid of a little adventure!” Mattias stated, groaning when his speech didn’t seem to even reach Ben.  _

_ “Ben?” he called, the taller boy moving toward him as he listened to the wall with bated breath.  _

_ “Ben, what are you listening fo-“ _

_ The other boy’s words were cut off as something huge exploded out of the wall to Ben’s right, sending both boys flying backward. _

_ Ben stumbled to his feet, coughing as the dust cleared. His eyes widened as they took in the sight of an immense eyeless worm protruding from the rock, it’s maw lined with several rows of serrated teeth.  _

_ “A Razhak!” Ben yelled as the worm threw back its upper body and roared an ear splitting roar.  _

_ Matt jumped to his feet, not a hint of fear in his eyes as he regarded the beast.  _

_ “C’mon Ben, we can take this thing!” he claimed, easing into a fighting stance.  _

_ The Razhak wound up its body, preparing to strike. Ben’s feet were moving before he could think, tackling Matt out of the way as the beast lunged at him.  _

_ “Matt, go get Master Luke!” he yelled as the Razhak screeched, it’s upper body rising like an enormous snake and it’s toothy maw opening wide.  _

_ “We don’t need him!” Matt insisted, rising from the floor to face the giant worm. Ben pulled himself to his feet just as the worm shot forward, jumping in front of Matt and holding up his hands.  _

_ The Force surrounded him, the air dense with it. He cried out in pain as something seared into the skin of his collarbone through his robes. He opened his eyes, he hadn’t even noticed they’d been closed, to see the horrifying blank face of the worm inches away from his outstretched hands, its segmented antennae searing into his skin like a hot poker.  _

_ With a shout of effort, he slammed the enormous creature into the side of the wall, the impact crumbling stone. It shrieked loud enough to shake the ground as Ben pinned it in place, eyes finding a rather startled Mattias as his arms began to shake with effort.  _

_ “Get. Master. Luke,” he ground out, Mattias immediately jumping into action and racing down the hall, coming back not a moment later with his Uncle racing behind.  _

_ “Ben!” Luke called out, running full speed down the corridor with the other Younglings trailing behind curiously.  _

_ The Razhak struggled against Ben’s hold, almost freeing itself. Ben’s brow wrinkled in concentration and effort, his entire body shaking as he concentrated his energy. With one final push, the creatures head snapped against the stone, it’s enormous body going limp just as Luke arrived.  _

_ Ben fell to his knees, panting and holding a hand over his burn. He grit his teeth at the pain.  _

_ “Ben,” Luke spoke softly, squatting down to look him over with wide blue eyes.  _

_ “What were you doing? You should’ve gotten me sooner instead of trying to take that thing on yourself,” he said sternly. “You could’ve been killed!” _

_ Ben didn’t argue as his uncle helped him to his feet, determinedly not making eye contact with the other Younglings as they stared at him in shock and wonder. _

_ “Did you see that?” _

_ “He killed it!” _

_ “How did he do that?” _

_ Luke motioned for the group to go back to their previous activities, leading Ben back toward the main chamber for some bacta gel to treat his burn.  _

~

Ben sighed at the memory, running his fingers along the large hole in the side of the wall the Razhak had burst out from. He remembered how the other Younglings had been hesitant to speak to him after that, almost as if they were afraid of him. Sensing that from his own peers had hurt him more than he could say, but then he supposed he should’ve been used to people he was close to fearing him. 

He decided not to dwell on those thoughts any longer, following the light at the end of the tunnel, weaving through pillars of inky-black stone until he reached a bridge. The bridge led into a large open area and a dais which Ben stepped up on. He closed his eyes and took in a deep grounding breath, feeling the force surrounding him like a particularly dense blanket of fog. 

_ “Have my shuttle prepared. I’m going down to oversee the preparations for construction tomorrow.” _

The familiar voice echoed in his consciousness, not a memory but something far more present.

When his eyes opened, he was rather startled to see increasingly familiar sea green eyes staring back at him. 

General Hux blinked in surprise as he fixed Ben with a wide eyed stare. He recovered quickly, his expression very suddenly shifting into a cold glare as he raised his blaster. Ben hadn’t even seen him go for it. 

_ “How are you doing this?” _ he demanded without preamble, aiming directly between Ben’s eyes. 

“Nice to see you again as well, General,” Ben shot back, covering his confusion with an easy smirk. His thoughts raced a mile a minute as he tried to answer the proffered question for himself. 

The corner of Hux’s lips twitched downward. He took a determined step forward, clenching his blaster tight enough that the leather of his gloves creaked. 

_ “I didn’t appreciate your pathetic attempts at sarcasm when I had you imprisoned, and I certainly don’t appreciate them now,”  _ he spat, his nose wrinkling in disgust as if Ben were an insect beneath his boot. 

Ben shrugged his shoulders, adjusting his cowl just to watch Hux’s patience run dry. 

_ “How is it that one man can be so insolent,” _ Hux sneered. 

Ben considered his answer for a moment, making a show of tapping his chin as the General’s brow wrinkled in annoyance. 

“Insolence kinda runs in my family,” he said finally, crossing his arms and smirking as Hux lowered his blaster absently. 

_ “Yes. Your family.” _ He poured poison into the pronunciation of that word, his eyes cruel as he regarded Ben. 

_ “I’ve been doing a little research on that matter.” _

“You have? That’s sweet of you,” Ben replied, hardly able to hold in his laughter as Hux’s face dropped into a look of utter exasperation. 

“So you already know my mother, the Princess of Alderaan and General of the Resistance, and my father, the smuggler and war hero. I suppose you’ve figured out my uncle as well?”

_ “Yes,”  _ Hux said with a grimace.  _ “The rebel pilot who destroyed the Death Star and the only living Jedi,”  _ he spoke the last part almost mockingly, as if he didn’t believe the words themselves. 

_ “Not the only one,”  _ Ben said casually, his smile growing at Hux’s look of surprise, as if he doubted his information could ever be inaccurate. 

Before the General could speak, approaching footsteps echoed in the cavern. Ben glanced away as a Youngling walked into the chamber, eyes meeting his. 

“Master Ben? We’re all about to eat… Who were you talking to?” the child asked after a moment with open curiosity. 

“I-“ Ben started, turning back toward Hux to see that he had vanished.

“No one,” he sighed, stepping off of the dais. 

“No one.”

………

The day had passed with no further incident. Ben had returned to the entrance cavern of the temple, watching as one by one each Youngling retrieved their crystal. Pride swelled in his chest and he couldn’t help the grin that stretched across his lips. 

“It’s crazy to see how far they’ve all come, isn’t it?” Poe spoke, mirroring his own thoughts perfectly as he was wont to do. 

“It is. Uncle Luke will be very pleased.”

“So they’ll all become Padawan Learners after this, right? Do you think  _ you’ll _ get a Padawan? Or a few?” he asked excitedly, nudging Ben in the ribs. 

Ben shushed him, unable to keep the smile from his face. 

“Yes, they’ll advance to Padawan as long as they can craft a working lightsaber. And… I really don’t know. I’d like to take on an apprentice, but I don’t know if Uncle Luke could ever trust me with something like that.”

Poe’s smile dropped in less than a second, his hand going to Ben’s shoulder and squeezing reassuringly as his brow dipped somberly. 

“Ben, that’s in the past. Luke knows it wasn’t your fault,” he said insistently. “Besides, he trusted you with this mission, didn’t he?”

Ben was struck with the sudden thought of just how grateful he was for Poe. 

All through his rather tumultuous childhood, followed by his even worse early teens, Poe had always been there for him. He comforted him when his parents fought, stayed with him during his mother’s diplomatic missions, even snuck out to the temple when he was having a particularly hard time with training. The latter had been done so many times, Luke had allowed Poe to visit regularly. 

Poe had been the one to convince him to tell Luke of his nightmares, to trust that his uncle could help. Had it not been for Poe, Ben had no clue where he’d be. 

“Thank you,” Ben whispered, leaning against the other man’s shoulder. Poe hugged one arm around him with a smile, needing no explanation. 

“No problem, Ben.”

Both of them glanced up suddenly as the air grew heavy around them. Ben’s gaze snapped to Rey who sat across the chamber, meditating over her crystal. He watched as the crystal’s ever present humming became louder, the light growing brighter and beginning to shift in colour. 

Rey’s eyes snapped open just as a vivid yellow colour spread across the crystal, lighting up the entire cavern. 

She positively beamed, excitedly meeting Ben’s gaze as she pointed at the crystal. She looked as if she was struggling to keep silent on the other Youngling’s behalves. 

In quick succession, the other crystals in the room began to hum and shiver similarly, one by one taking on colour and filling the chamber with vibrant shades of blues and greens. 

The sight was just as breathtaking as Ben remembered, banishing any worries he’d been harboring just as they had 10 years prior. 

The spell of silence lifted as the ecstatic Younglings began to pull out their already partially crafted hilts from their packs, along with the food they’d saved for the moment their meditation was over. 

They were almost finished with Ilum. Ben felt such a deep sense of relief at that thought.

He glanced up as Rey plopped down next to him, unpacking her hilt pieces and spreading them out on the floor before tucking into her food with fervour. 

“So, first to find your crystal, huh kiddo?” Poe said with a grin, nudging Rey’s knee. She smiled proudly around a mouthful of food, wiping her face with the back of her hand. 

“And I’ll be the first to finish my lightsaber,” she said confidently, turning to face Ben. “You were the first one in your class, weren’t you Ben?” she inquired. 

Ben huffed out a laugh, criss crossing his legs as he pulled out his own food. 

“No, Rey. I was actually the last to complete mine,” he said. 

“Really? You?” she whispered almost conspiratorially, her eyes wide with surprise. 

“Really. I was too unsure and unfocused. It took two days for me to let myself relax enough to connect with the force. When I did, I found my crystal right away. It called to me from right here, leading me through the tunnels and over a bridge until I reached a platform surrounded by a pit of darkness, the crystal jutting out of the furthest wall. It was as if it had been waiting for me since the dawn of time.”

Rey took in his words with rapt attention, absently scooping large spoonfuls of food into her mouth. 

“It took on its colour the second I touched it, and in that short moment, all of my worries were gone.”

“Wow,” Rey whispered, glancing down to her own crystal as it glowed its vivid yellow.

“But I knew you’d be the first to find yours,” Ben added in a whisper. “And I know Master Luke will be just as proud of you as I am. The wielder of a yellow lightsaber is not one to be trifled with.”

Her smile widened exponentially as Ben patted her on the head. With that, she hurried to finish her food, setting her bowl aside and picking up her tools to start working immediately. 

………

The soft sounds of the Younglings working on their sabers filled the air. They were all nearly finished now as the sky outside grew lighter, marking the beginning of their third day on Ilum. 

Ben was growing more and more anxious to leave, but he sat patiently and waited while the devoted younglings worked. 

As expected, Rey had been the first done. Her rather ambitious design for a lightsaber pike was incredible and well executed to boot. Ben had no doubt that his uncle would be thoroughly impressed. 

He smiled down at her as she slept soundly, curled up against his side like a particularly docile Loth Cat. 

He was ripped from his thoughts as a deafening boom sounded in the distance, the detonation shaking the entire cavern. Ben was on his feet in an instant, hand over his saber. 

“What the kriff was that?” Poe gasped, rising as well and glancing around as the Younglings paused their work. 

“I don’t know,” Ben admitted. “I think it came from the surface. Stay here,” he ordered, slowly moving toward the entrance of the temple. He could feel Poe frowning at his back, but he listened regardless, staying with the frightened Younglings. 

Ben reached the doorway, carefully forcing one door open just enough for him to slip through. The ever present blizzard was much calmer than it had been when they’d arrived, allowing for far more visibility than usual. Bitterly cold wind whipped his hair wildly around his face as he searched the area. 

He froze as he caught sight of the cause of the explosion, all colour draining from his face. 

A First Order Star Destroyer resided in the sky, blocking out the sun. Another deafening explosion shook the ground as a bright red laser shot down from the Star Destroyer, carving chunks out of the surface of the planet. 

As the laser powered down, Ben spotted an approaching shuttle, the small ship landing not 50 yards away from where he now stood. 

“Poe!” he shouted over his shoulder, the other man appearing beside him not 5 seconds later. 

“The First Order is here. We need to get the Younglings to the Falcon before-“

His words caught in his throat as the doors of the shuttle opened, an all too familiar figure stepping out. His pale skin almost blended into his icy surroundings, but that red hair stood out starkly, even from underneath his cap. 

“Shit.”

………

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your comments are giving me life, guys! Thank you to everyone reading and I’m so glad this story is coming across well!
> 
> I have a shitton of other Kylux stories in my works as well as a few Frostiron (if you’re into that sort of thing). Just in case you would like something to read in between my stupidly spaced updates.
> 
> ~Cynical


	5. We're Damned After All

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~Chapter Vibe~
> 
> https://youtu.be/JrMOL0FAC1g
> 
> ⭐️Trigger Warning⭐️ there is some minor graphic violence in this chapter

Hux took a moment to survey his surroundings as he stepped down the boarding ramp of the transport shuttle, scanning the solid white horizon. He pulled his greatcoat tighter about himself, grimacing as the bitter wind bit at his exposed nose and cheeks. He absolutely despised the cold. He’d always been on the thinner side no matter what he did, his slight build allowing the chill to reach down to his very bones and hold fast with its icy grip. 

He wouldn’t allow himself to dwell on that for the moment, simply breathing in the sight around him. This was the first time he would be visiting the wasteland that would soon house his Starkiller Base, and he was determined to revel in it no matter what. 

He glanced over the large structure they had landed near; a temple of some sort. Initial scans of the planet's surface hadn’t revealed any signs of sentient life. If they had been inaccurate, a thought which annoyed Hux an inexplicable amount, then he supposed the blunder would have to be dealt with. 

Perhaps a squadron or two of Stormtroopers would be enough to take out a native civilisation small enough to evade the scanners. 

“General, Sir,” a Trooper addressed as she approached, presenting Hux with a handheld Holocom. “Chief Engineer Techert.”

Hux took the com, placing it in the palm of his hand and activating it. The figure of his Chief Engineer materialised in blue light, standing at attention. 

_“General Hux,”_ he greeted with the customary salute. Hux nodded back, glancing over the smoky crater the Finaliser had left on the planet with a feeling of utmost satisfaction. 

_“I trust you enjoyed the commencement of the excavation?”_

“Very much so, Captain Techert. I can see the construction of my weapon is in very capable hands,” Hux stated.

_“I thank you for that, General. Truthfully, I was elated for the opportunity to work with an experienced and talented Engineer such as yourself, Sir.”_

Hux smiled as politely and genuinely as he could manage at the obvious attempt at flattery. He supposed it was ever so slightly more tolerable then the open disdain the old Inperial Officers showed for him, though only just. 

Techert rambled on about the schedule for the beginning of construction, but Hux ignored him for the most part. He was already aware of the plans; he was aware of everything going on with his ship. 

“General!” a Trooper called, interrupting Techerts spiel much to the Engineers indignation. Hux glanced toward the Trooper, reprimand on his lips when he spotted what they had. 

All too familiar brown eyes went wide as they met Hux’s green; Ben Solo was there, a mere few meters away in the doorway of the large temple. 

For a moment Hux was convinced it was just another odd conjuring from his mind, same as the ones he’d been experiencing for the past few days. He realised very quickly that that was not so as his Stormtroopers surrounded him with their assorted weapons drawn, awaiting his orders. 

“Solo,” Hux called out over the howling wind, primly folding his arms behind his back. 

“At last we meet again.”

“General Hux!” Solo replied, an easy smirk quirking his lips. “I trust you’re doing well? Hope you didn’t miss me too much?”

Hux bit back his irritation, rolling his shoulders back and fixing Solo with a cold stare. 

“Hardly,” he said simply, his hand finding his blaster in its holster beneath his greatcoat. 

“Now,” he continued, raising the blaster precisely towards the middle of Solo’s chest. “By order of the Supreme Leader himself, I will be taking you back into custody. The question, however, remains; do you wish to do this the easy way, or the hard way?”

Solo made a show of carefully mulling over his decision, tapping his chin thoughtfully. 

“Hmm. Well, I’m gonna have to go with the latter. I like it hard,” he said with a roguish smile and a wink. 

Hux sneered, about to shoot back an insult when he spotted faces peeking out of the doorway behind Solo. 

The man’s eyes widened minutely before he stepped in front of the crack in the doorway, hiding what Hux already knew was there; children. 

It was with considerable restraint that he ended their brief verbal sparring match, turning to address his Troopers. 

“Apprehend him immediately, but leave the children be. Set your blasters to stun. The Supreme Leader wants him alive and unharmed,” Hux commanded. 

The Troopers burst into action immediately, two taking protective positions in front of Hux while the other ten began advancing toward the temple as Solo stepped out of the doorway and into the open, facing them with a fearlessness and determination that set Hux very much on edge. 

The seven Troopers carrying blasters lined up, firing a volley of stun bolts toward the man when suddenly, almost faster then Hux’s eyes could see, he pulled a long metal hilt off of his belt, twirling it with a flourish as a bright, vividly blue blade of light emerged, the blaster bolts clashing against the blade and bouncing back. 

Hux could hardly believe his eyes as several of his Troopers threw themselves to the snow covered ground to avoid the bolts, one not so lucky as he was hit exactly in the gap where his helmet didn’t quite cover his neck, collapsing in a heap. 

The three other Troopers stepped forward at Hux’s beckoning, whipping out their Z6 riot control batons and charging. The loud crackling filled the air, joining the unnerving soft hum of the light blade as Solo twirled it readily. 

The first Trooper charged with a shout, swinging his baton downward. Solo blocked the strike, blade clashing against the conductor contact vanes, sending sparks flying. He landed a hard kick to the Trooper’s gut, sending him backward into the snow just as the second one advanced. 

Solo’s free hand raised and the second Trooper’s attack halted, her body going totally stiff. She released her hold on her baton as Solo flung her to the side with his invisible grip, sending her hurtling into the third Trooper. 

“What are you doing? Get up!” Hux ordered, pulse racing as the fallen Troopers struggled to obey, resuming fire.

Without missing a beat, Solo twirled his blade until the light of it seemed to form a circular blue shield before him, stun bolts bouncing off of the rapidly spinning blade harmlessly. 

While their fellows continued their barrage of stun bolts, two of the baton wielding Troopers maneuvered across the field, splitting off to attack the force user from either side. 

Solo’s eyes flickered from side to side at his approaching assailants as his free hand gripped the hilt of his weapon. Hux watched in open mouthed shock as he twisted the hilt, a loud click echoing in the air as he broke off half of it and ignited a second light blade, this one a vibrant green. 

In one fluid motion he ducked under the swing of the nearest Trooper’s baton, sliding on his knees across the snow covered ground. Before she could register his changed position, he spun around and slashed through her armour with the green blade, springing to his feet as she in turn collapsed to the ground. 

He swung around just in time to block the strike of the second Trooper’s baton, spinning the blue blade once more as a shield against the volley of bolts raining down on him. 

The second Trooper grunted loudly as he curved a devastating swipe downward, Solo meeting it with the green blade. Both men grunted in effort, Solo glaring right through the Troopers helmet as he pushed back. 

_ “Is this all you’ve got?” _

Hux blanched at the sound of Ben Solo’s taunting voice in his head, his fist clenching around his blaster. His anger spiked even higher as Solo managed to overpower the Trooper, swiping his feet out from under him and kicking the baton out of his reach. 

“Poe, now!” the man shouted behind himself as he easily deflected more stun bolts, using his entire body as a shield as a shorter man emerged from the temple behind him, followed closely by a huddled group of children. They raced toward a ship a few metres away Hux hadn’t previously seen due to the heavy layer of snow covering it, the man, Poe, lowering their boarding ramp and herding the children inside. 

Hux’s eyes flickered away from the scene to the third baton wielding Trooper as he managed to pull himself up, crawling on his belly under the blaster fire and returning shots, dragging his baton behind. He rolled to his feet, sprinting toward Solo and the other Trooper with his baton raised. 

Hux winced unconsciously as the baton connected with Solo’s unprotected side, the other man gritting his teeth through the pain as he elbowed the attacking Trooper in the face of his helmet. He stumbled back at the strike just as the previously downed Trooper rolled back over his shoulder, retrieving his baton and rushing forward. 

“Ben!” a new voice screamed, a young girl breaking away from the group, pulling a quarterstaff off of her belt. She twirled it in her small hand, a yellow light blade emerging and clashing against the attacking Trooper’s baton. 

With the other Trooper distracted, Ben gripped the wrist of the Trooper holding the baton to his side, half growling half yelling as he threw his attacker over his shoulder, driving his blue blade through the white chest piece. 

“Rey, get out of here!” Solo shouted towards the girl over the blaster fire. 

She let out a shout as she spun to avoid a strike, slashing into the Trooper’s stomach with her strange pike. 

“Are all of you incompetent?!” Hux roared, raising his own blaster and aiming directly at the girl. “Capture him!”

Hux froze as an ear splitting roar echoed in the distance, followed by several matching ones. He glanced around into the distance as the Troopers ceased fire. 

His eyes immediately shot to Solo and the girl, Rey, as they glanced at each other and retracted their light blades, immediately dropping down into the snow.

Hux’s breath caught in his throat as a large blur of grey and brown vaulted over the spot the two had previously stood. An enormous reptilian creature covered in grey fur landed in the midst of their battlefield, opening its tooth filled maw and shrieking into the air. 

It raced forward, grabbing hold of the nearest Stormtrooper and engulfing them in a spine crushing embrace. The crack of broken armor and bones made Hux sick to his stomach. He watched in vague horror as the creature slammed the limp Trooper into the snow, beginning to devour the body as two more creatures appeared. 

The remaining Troopers snapped out of their terrified trances, setting their blasters back to lethal bolts and firing on the beasts. The bolts seemed to have absolutely no effect, the creatures ignoring the onslaught and tearing into several other Troopers. 

Movement behind the beasts caught Hux’s eye as Solo and the girl jumped up from the snow. He reattached the hilts of his light blades and gripped her wrist with his free hand, sprinting towards their waiting ship.

The two Troopers guarding Hux began to retreat, leading him backward toward the shuttle as the first creature to appear began to slowly advance toward them, emitting a low growl as it eyed Hux hungrily. 

He fired several shots with his blaster as the beast’s pace sped up, the creature standing up to its full height and swiping a large clawed hand at both Troopers, sending them flying into a nearby boulder. 

His face drained of all blood as he was suddenly face to face with the bloodthirsty beast. He raised his blaster again and fired once, twice, three times but to no effect. The reptilian creature growled and swatted at Hux, sending him hurtling to the ground. The General attempted to scramble to his feet, fighting for his footing on the ice, but was ultimately unsuccessful.

Hux tried to call for help, to anyone still alive, as the creature grabbed him, lifting him into the air. He cried out in pain as claws dug into his back and sides, kicking his feet and struggling against the vice grip as it got tighter and tighter. Darkness danced across his vision and his body began to go limp when suddenly there was a burst of blue light and the creature's grip slackened, dropping Hux into the snow before letting out one last roar and promptly dying.

Hux gazed up blearily, blinking the stars away. Above him, a face swam into focus, haloed in a luminescent blue glow.

Ben Solo met his gaze, deep brown eyes intense as they stared down at him. Hux couldn’t speak, could barely breathe as Solo turned his back on him and disappeared into the distance. He watched in mounting confusion and utter dread as his enemy, the man he was charged with bringing back to the Supreme Leader, the man who had just saved his life, climbed aboard his YT-1300 Corellian Light Freighter which came to life and took off, flying off into the blackness of space. 

The Supreme Leader would not be pleased. 

………

Ben sucked in a deep breath, letting it out all at once as he watched Ilum get further and further away. He tried his best to calm his racing pulse, attaching his saber hilt to his belt and slumping down in the copilot seat beside Poe. 

“So…” Poe started after a long moment of silence, his tone immediately setting Ben on edge. He knew exactly where this conversation was headed. 

“I’m very curious to know what exactly possessed you to run through a herd of starving Gorgodons to rescue the General of the First Order?”

Ben ducked his head at the accusatory tone, his cheeks flushing in shame. 

“I know it was a dumb move-“

“A dumb move?!” Poe shouted, his brow furrowed in a very uncharacteristic frown. “You could’ve gotten yourself killed, Ben!”

“I can’t explain why I did what I did, Poe!” Ben retaliated, his shoulders sagging as all of the fight left his body. “I was there before I even realised I had moved.”

Poe sighed wearily, shaking his head. 

“You think it had something to do with that weird force connection the two of you seem to have?” he questioned. 

“I…” Ben trailed off as he remembered his encounter with Hux’s conjured form in the chamber on Ilum. 

“I don’t know,” he finally replied. 

Poe’s expression softened a bit at that, casting a more sympathetic glance toward Ben. 

“I think you should talk to Luke,” he said simply. 

Ben exhaled shortly, placing a hand over his forehead. 

“You’re right. I promise I will.”

“The second we get to the temple?” Poe pushed, turning fully to face him. 

Ben nodded in concession, his answer seeming to be enough for Poe who turned back to concentrate on navigating their way back to Yavin 4. Ben leaned back and closed his eyes.

_ ‘Great.’ _

………

~

_ Ben’s eyes snapped open to see the familiar interior of a Star Destroyer hangar. It was rather devoid of ships at that particular moment and Ben felt the desire to smirk at that, but found he couldn’t control his movements.  _

_ He glanced up as a dark haired man in a crisp First Order Officer’s uniform approached, the man placing his gloved right fist to his chest and bowing slightly.  _

_ “General Hux,” he greeted respectfully.  _

_ So he was back in Hux’s head. But was it another dream he was seeing, or something else? _

_ He watched as his, Hux’s, hand shoved a blaster into the very surprised young officers hands, pushing past him without so much as a word.  _

_ He could feel the ghost of pain in Hux’s ribs as if his body were his own. One or more of them had to be bruised from the Gorgodon’s crushing embrace, but the General didn’t seem to be marching toward the infirmary as if his life depended on it.  _

_ Not a dream, then.  _

_ He, or rather Hux, stood before two huge doors, breathing as deeply as he could without hurting his ribs before pushing them open to reveal a huge chamber, very dimly lit along a long corridor leading to a gigantic metal throne. Hux moved down the corridor with purpose, the click of his heels echoing about the cavernous space.  _

_ Ben felt intense dread gnawing at the pit of his stomach, the dread quickly escalating to outright fear as the chamber filled with the eerie blue light of a holoprojection, culminating in the towering wrinkled form of an ancient looking creature seated on the throne, face twisted and back hunched as it stared down at Hux.  _

_ “Supreme Leader,” Hux addressed with a bow of deference. “I have just returned from the surface of Starkiller’s host planet. I…” _

_ He hesitated, Ben sensing the terror in him at the next words he would be forced to speak.  _

_ “The event did not quite go to plan.” _

_ The towering monster raised a withered hand, motioning for Hux to continue.  _

_ Hux took in another deep grounding breath.  _

_ “Ben Solo was there, Sir. I ordered my Troopers to apprehend him, but he was not alone. He-“ _

_ “General Hux.” _

_ Ben’s breathing stuttered to a halt.  _

_ ‘That voice,’ he thought.  _

_ He could never forget that voice; the one featured in all of his childhood nightmares, the one that convinced him it belonged to a friend. The one that sowed seeds of doubt into his mind, that told him to distrust his family and friends. The one that told him his destiny was to destroy the light and, when he denied that destiny, nearly destroyed it for him.  _

_ This haggard face, this ancient thing, twisted and malformed by its own malice, was the voice of his nightmares.  _

_ “Am I correct in assuming that you allowed Ben Solo to escape for a second time?” the creature questioned, tone dangerous as his beady eyes bore into Hux.  _

_ “Supreme Leader, the circumstances leading up to the battle were far from ideal. I was not made fully aware of the extent of Solo’s abilities, nor that there were more of his kind-“ _

_ “More of his kind?” the creature interrupted, sending a chill up Ben’s spine.  _

_ “Yes. There was a group of children with him. One of them helped him to fight off my Troopers. She wielded a similar weapon to him; some kind of light blade.” _

_ “Your Stormtroopers were defeated by children?” the Supreme Leader spat derisively, grotesque hands clenching into tight fists on the armrests of the imposing throne.  _

_ “Not entirely. There were-“ _

_ Ben’s entire body tensed at the phantom sensations of a choking force grip on Hux’s throat.  _

_ “You have disappointed me, General,” the creature growled, pronouncing each syllable through bared teeth. Hux tried to answer but found that, try as he might, he couldn’t make a sound aside from his desperate sputtering for air.  _

_ “Not only have you revealed the location of your weapon to the Resistance, you let Ben Solo escape you once again!” _

_ The Supreme Leader punctuated his statement by flicking his bony hand downward, slamming Ben, Hux, to the floor and holding him there by the neck.  _

_ Hux couldn’t quite hold back his yelp of pain as his already bruised ribs creaked in protest at the hard impact. He bit back a whimper.  _

_ “Supreme Leader,” Hux wheezed, his hands scrambling for something to hold on to, his gloved fingers gripping in vain at the smooth floor.  _

_ “There was nothing I could do to prevent Solo from fleeing. I nearly died trying to-“ _

_ Hux’s words turned into a yelp as he was picked up and flung against the wall, a loud crack sounding as he landed heavily on the hard floor. Pure agony spread through his chest like fire that Ben felt so starkly it made his heart skip a beat. Hux’s bruised ribs had been broken.  _

_ “Since you seem to be unable to follow the simplest of orders yourself, I am placing you under the scrutiny of someone I trust,” the creature stated, raising his hand to motion to the chamber doors as they opened.  _

_ Ben glanced up through Hux’s bleary eyes as a figure approached, stopping at the end of the walk and bowing his head.  _

_ “Captain Peavey, you shall oversee the General’s progress on locating the Jedi Knight Ben Solo. Report everything directly back to me. I want him alive.” _

_ The grey haired Captain smirked, a cruel twinkle in his eye as he glanced at Hux before bowing deeper.  _

_ “Yes, Supreme Leader,” he said smugly.  _

~

Ben sucked in a deep breath as his eyes snapped open. He felt as if he were on the precipice of drowning, desperately sputtering for air. A voice broke through the haze of panic clouding his mind, calling his name. 

He blinked and he was suddenly back in the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon, Poe’s hand on his shoulder as he repeatedly yelled his name. 

“I’m okay,” he rasped, pulling himself upright to catch his breath. “I’m okay.”

“What the hell was that?” Poe questioned, eyeing him concernedly as he took his hand back to the steering of the ship. 

“I… How far away from Yavin are we?”

“A couple hours,” Poe answered. 

Ben felt a spike of guilt amongst the panic as he realised Poe had been flying alone for nearly two days. 

“I’ll tell you when we get there,” he promised, placing his hand over his heart to feel his racing pulse. 

There was no postponing it. 

Luke had to know what he’d just seen. 

………

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Battle scenes are fun but wow they’re hard. I hope this one turned out ok!
> 
> Thank you all for your encouragement and comments; they really do fuel my writing XD.
> 
> ~Cynical


	6. This Tree it Will Die Without Leaves

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~Chapter Vibes~
> 
> https://youtu.be/8yaVtsPIVVM

True to his word, Ben had gone to speak with Luke the moment they’d landed. He had been waiting for them, uneasiness and excitement in turn roiling off of him in waves that Ben could sense even before he was off of the ship. 

“Uncle,” he greeted as the Younglings filed out of the Falcon, each of them coming up to stand beside him.

“The results of the trial?” Luke pressed, uncharacteristically impatient. 

Ben glanced to the excited Younglings, nodding once. 

Each of them drew their varying hilts, eight blades of different shades of green and blue crackling to life, the ninth, a bright yellow, standing out starkly from the rest.

“There was not one in the group that did not successfully craft their lightsaber. They have all passed,” Ben stated proudly. 

“Very good,” Luke beamed as the nine blades extinguished. Ben tried not to laugh as he sensed the utter pride emanating from the Younglings. 

“We will have a ceremony tonight to celebrate all of you advancing. For now, go clean up,” Luke finished, waving them off with an only slightly forced smile. 

As the Youngling’s trailed off toward the temple, a lively chatter starting up amongst them, Luke’s expression very quickly shifted to grave. 

“What happened?” he questioned. 

“The First Order,” Ben replied, his posture deflating a bit. “They showed up on the third day we were there.”

“They were carving chunks out of the planet,” Poe added, leaning against a nearby tree and crossing his arms. 

“They’re turning Ilum into their weapon,” Luke whispered, blue eyes filled with horror and understanding.

“First thing tomorrow morning you must go to D’Qar. Your mother will need to know everything you saw.”

“There’s more, Uncle,” Ben started, glancing sideways toward Poe as his stomach sank. “I… Well… Ever since I escaped from the Finalizer, I’ve been…”

Ben fidgeted nervously under his uncle's gaze, staring down at his scuffed boots. He glanced up as movement caught his eye, Poe approaching him to lay a reassuring hand on his shoulder. He sighed, finally allowing himself to speak. 

“I’ve had a sort of connection through the force with the General of the First Order. I’ve been able to see his dreams and memories without trying. He’s been manifesting in front of me in an almost physical form at random moments; we’ve been able to speak with each other like that. 

“And, most recently, I’ve seen through his eyes in real time. It was like a vision, but I could feel what he was feeling. I… I saw what he saw.”

“What did you see,” Luke asked softly. Ben was sure he sensed the fear he felt. 

“I saw his face, Uncle. The voice that haunted me in my early years; it belongs to the Supreme Leader of the First Order. He’s been searching for me ever since…”

He trailed off, tears pricking the corners of his eyes, threatening to spill. 

“A name,” Luke almost whispered, the air around them intense. “Did you get a name?”

Ben shook his head, his eyes returning to the ground. His entire body stiffened as arms wrapped around him, holding him in a tight and comforting embrace. He relaxed significantly at the realisation that his uncle wasn’t upset at his confession, returning the hug with a shaky exhale. 

“He will not get you, Ben. I promise,” Luke whispered, squeezing him tighter before pulling back, his hands remaining on Ben’s shoulders. 

“As for this force connection with the General, have you tried to break it off?”

“Not yet. But it doesn’t feel like it did last time,” Ben admitted. 

“What do you mean?” Poe inquired from beside him. 

“Last time I had a so-called force connection with someone, it felt almost like they were a parasite, feeding off of me, draining my energy, watching me at all times. This feels different; I don’t sense any malicious intentions.”

Luke quirked a brow in thought, staring off to the side for a moment as he considered Ben’s words. 

“Well, there is the possibility that it  _ is _ actually the force which links you two. Perhaps the General has an important part in your destiny.”

A long moment of silence stretched on between the three men for a moment, each one taking in those words and what they could possibly imply. 

Ben vividly recalled that day in the cell. He remembered feeling the heat travel to his belly at seeing that uncharacteristic shade of pink colour Hux’s pale cheeks. 

He was snapped out of his thoughts as Poe spoke. 

“I’m going to update Leia about Starkiller. She’ll want to know sooner rather than later,” he stated, patting Ben’s back before jogging toward the temple. 

Ben sighed. He supposed he should follow, though he was reluctant to move. The air felt thick with emotion he couldn’t begin to understand, clouding his lungs with its intensity. 

“Ben, I can sense your unease. I…” Luke trailed off, scratching at his bearded chin thoughtfully. 

“I want you to know that no matter what, I couldn’t be prouder of you. You did an excellent job with the Younglings on Ilum. I know you have doubts that I would trust you with a Padawan, but that could not be further from the truth. I believe any of my students would be more than lucky to have you as their Master.”

“Thank you, Uncle,” Ben started, abruptly shutting his mouth as his uncle held up a hand. 

“However, I will not be assigning you a Padawan just yet, the reason for that being that you have something much more important to focus on now. I have had a consistent vision since you were a child, one that shows you as a young man standing in the aftermath of a battle littered with your fallen foes. I know it is your destiny to destroy the First Order; the force has told me so. And there is not one person I trust more to do so.”

Tears blurred Ben’s vision further as he stood before his uncle, those words echoing through his mind. For just a moment, every worry, every terrifying memory, every flaw in his own character, disappeared from his thoughts, replaced entirely by his uncle's love and pride. His heart felt full. 

“I will not let you down, Uncle. Not again,” he replied, bowing his head. 

“You have never let me down, Ben. If anything, I have let you down.”

………

Ben was beginning to get particularly sick of space travel. He sighed heavily from the copilot seat as Poe sat silently beside him, concentrating on navigating them safely whilst the hyperdrive was active. 

_ “The First Order has a lot of nerve if they think they can take Ilum for their abomination of a weapon,” _ his mother had stated, her brown eyes, a mirror image of Ben’s own, filled with fire and drive. 

_ “Now is the time to unite our allies and form a proper army to fight against them. You two must go to Endor. Find Halla and recruit her and her group to our cause. With her support, others will follow.” _

Following his mother’s orders, they were indeed on their way to Endor. They’d been flying almost non-stop for days and Ben was beginning to get cabin fever when the Forrest planet was finally in view. 

“Ok. They should know we’re coming, right?” Poe inquired, taking the Falcon down to land in a small clearing surrounded by trees. 

“Yes. Mom will have told them in advance,” Ben replied, jumping up out of his seat the moment they’d touched down, securing his lightsaber hilt to his utility belt. 

“Good. I don’t much like the idea of becoming an Ewok’s lunch,” Poe stated, holstering his blaster and walking with him to the boarding area. 

The ramp lowered and both men jumped in surprise to see that they were very much not alone and, in fact, surrounded by little furry creatures armed with spears and blasters. 

“What were you saying about Ewoks?” Ben said as the little creatures whooped and chattered in greeting. Poe shot him a glare. 

“Greetings, Ben Solo and Poe Dameron,” a voice called over the din, the Ewoks parting to reveal a grey haired woman with a warm smile. 

“You must be Halla,” Ben said, slowly making his way down the ramp with Poe not far behind. 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Halla approached them both, shoving an Ewok out of the way. The little creature grunted angrily at her for a moment before rejoining the line. 

“Yes, I suppose it would be,” she said, lined eyes twinkling with mischief. 

“Your mother informed me that you’d be coming. You’re… scruffier looking then I thought you’d be,” Halla stated, Poe snorting loudly much to his chagrin. 

Ben glanced down at his appearance with a frown. He’d left his robes on the ship, choosing instead to wear his father’s old gear. He supposed he could’ve spent more time fixing his hair into a neater ponytail, or chosen a better pressed shirt then the black half buttoned one he wore. He’d assumed the vest would cover up the wrinkles it had acquired after several days of wear. He shook his head at his thoughts; his appearance wasn’t important to the mission. 

“I assume my mother told you why we’re here?” Ben asked. 

“She didn’t, but I have a guess,” she said distractedly, tapping her chin in thought for a moment. “Come with me. I have a place a little less out in the open where we can talk.”

Ben and Poe nodded in agreement, following where the strange woman led. The Ewoks marched along beside them, their scavenged bits of what looked to be Forest Trooper armour clanking with each movement. 

The odd procession led them to what looked to be an abandoned Imperial outpost, the entire structure covered in scorch marks from a battle long since past. Ben stepped over parts that looked as if they used to belong to an AT-ST Walker, smiling ever so slightly as Poe stared nervously down at the little Ewok walking closely beside him. 

“Here we are. Home sweet home,” Halla announced as the doors slid open with a loud metallic screech. Ben and Poe glanced at each other before entering the compound. Several sets of eyes locked onto them as they stood in the centre of what looked to be a makeshift living area, filled with beings of all different species, genders, and ages. 

Ben took in a deep grounding breath.

This was it. 

………

Hux had always prided himself in his ability to keep a cool and calm demeanour in the face of adversity. A lesser man would have never lasted in his position. 

He told himself that, repeating it internally like a sort of calming mantra as he entered Snoke’s Holochamber with a reluctance that burned in his gut like fire, his still recovering ribs aching all the more.

He was instantly greeted with Snoke’s glowing blue form, a sight that filled him with cold dread. He could almost feel the invisible hold Snoke had gripped him with previously, using it to throw Hux around like a ragdoll. He hoped to never feel such a thing again. 

“Supreme Leader,” he said, bowing his head in deference even as his heart threatened to leap out of his throat. 

From his place before the throne he could see three familiar vaguely humanoid figures, cloaked in darkness. He recognised them immediately as Kuruk, Vicrul, and Ap’lek, the Knights of Ren; Snoke’s personal enforcers that spent more time off ship then on. Hux had never spoken more than a word to each of the strange and elusive creatures, preferring to give them a wide berth in the rare moments he came across them on his ship. 

_ “General. You have news of Ben Solo,” _ Snoke stated more than asked, his twisted fingers clenching the arms of his throne. 

“Yes, Sir. His ship was spotted heading to Endor. I have called upon a squadron of my best Troopers to apprehend him.”

Snoke’s upper lip curled in a sneer at his words. He lifted a hand, Hux flinching before he could stop himself. But he did not attack him again with those horrible powers. He instead motioned to the three cloaked figures that stood before his throne. 

_ “I will not allow you to let Ben Solo slip through your fingers a third time. You will take my Knights with you.” _

Hux nodded his agreement, anger twisting his insides as Snoke’s image disappeared without another word. 

He turned to leave the chamber but a crackling distorted voice stopped him in his tracks. 

“How is it, General, that you have managed to locate Ben Solo not once, not twice, but three times?” one of the knights, Vicrul, questioned, footsteps echoing in the large chamber as he approached him, vibro scythe in hand.

Hux bit his tongue. He was loathe to admit that the first two times had been mere luck on his part.

“I don’t see how that’s any of your business,” he answered, puffing his chest out proudly even as the knights closed in around him, circling him like three hungry Rancors. 

“Oh, I think you’ll find it’s entirely our business,” the one he knew to be Ap’lek hissed directly in his face as they passed by. 

“You see, we’ve been hunting down the brat for the past nine years; chasing whispers, ghosts, but never finding him. And now here you are, a force null curr who’s managed to capture and lose Ben Solo twice in less than a month.”

“You can perhaps understand why we’re so,” Vicrul paused, stepping into Hux’s space menacingly. 

“Curious.”

Hux turned up his nose up at the masked creature, refusing to back down in the face of a clear challenge. 

“I can indeed see why you’d want to know. It’s a pity then that I don’t answer to you, Lord Ren,” he snapped.

“Now I suggest we carry on to the hangar. Unless you’d like to explain to your Master that you allowed Solo to escape once again under  _ your _ careful watch.”

The hulking body of the Knight tensed, but he stepped aside as Hux made his way to the large doors of the Holochamber, pushing them open and making his way down the corridor. 

His thoughts raced a standard mile a minute, Snoke’s words echoing around in his mind, taunting him. 

_ ‘I will not allow you to let Ben Solo slip through your fingers a third time.’ _

Was he undeserving of his position? It had been his life’s ambition to rise in the ranks of the First Order, to become the figurehead, to prove his father wrong, but after the absolute catastrophes that he had allowed to happen under his nose, did he really deserve to call himself General?

His thoughts shifted to the encounter with Ben Solo and the children he presumed to be Jedi students. The moment Solo had saved his life constantly replayed in his mind; the ethereal blue glow that lit up his face as his strange weapon, a lightsaber, cut through the blaster proof hide of what had evidently been a Gorgodon. The memory enraged and confused him in equal measure. 

He snapped out of his wonderings as a set of footsteps caught up to him, matching his stride. Captain Peavey greeted him with the customary nod, slinking alongside him with that same pompous look he had worn in Snoke’s holochamber. 

“Ah, General. I do hope your meeting went well,” he said with clearly false sincerity. Hux responded in kind, nodding sharply and moving to walk around the Captain. As he exited into the hallway, Peavey followed behind him, staying slightly behind and to his left. 

“So, General. What precisely is your plan for apprehending Solo?” Peavey inquired, his tone conveying his skepticism that Hux would have thought of anything by then. 

Hux frowned before he could stop himself, but quickly schooled his features back into his usual blank but authoritative expression. 

“Well, Captain,” he said, spitting out the honorific as if it were a foul taste on his tongue. “Spies loyal to the First Order have reported spotting Ben Solo’s ship, a rather easily recognizable YT-1300 Corellian freighter, approaching Endor, a planet residing in the Outer Rim. I have already told Captain Phasma to load up a squadron of Troopers. You and I shall accompany them along with the Knights of Ren, per Supreme Leader Snoke’s request.”

At the prospect of going headfirst into a battle, Peavey paled considerably. Hux allowed himself a smirk of triumph, turning the corner to enter the Hangar access corridor. 

“Prepare for departure in five minutes, Captain.”

………

“Everyone,” Halla called, pulling Ben before the large crowd. 

“This is Ben Solo Organa, son of General Leia Organa.”

Halla glanced to Ben, motioning for him to step forward. Every single soul in the abandoned outpost turned bunker looked to him. He barely resisted the urge to clear his throat in slight panic, trying hit best to calm himself. He remembered watching his mother’s speeches when she brought him with her to senate meetings. He channeled that same confidence she always carried herself with, facing the crowd and speaking out clearly. 

“I won’t waste your time with fancy words and offers. The First Order is building something; a superweapon in the husk of a planet that will rival even the Death Star in its capabilities. It is imperative that we stop them before this weapon can be completed, or untold horrors will be unleashed upon the galaxy. We need to take down the First Order once and for all, and we can’t do it alone. The Resistance needs your help.”

Silence filled the air, like a living being looming over them with its intensity. Ben steeled himself, refusing to wilt under pressure. 

Finally, after what felt like an age, a large battle scarred man stood from his seat at a nearby table, approaching Ben. 

“If General Leia Organa calls for our service, we will gladly serve the Resistance to the day we die,” he said gruffly. Ben allowed himself a small smile, holding out his arm to the man who took his hand in a firm grip, shaking it once to seal the deal. 

Relief washed over him as the room filled with the energetic chatter it had previous to their entrance. 

“Your mother must be proud of you,” Halla said with a grin, nudging him in the side. He glanced down to her, mirroring her expression. 

“I hope so,” he replied. 

_ “I know so. I could feel it when she spoke of you to me.” _

Halla’s voice rang out in his mind, her grin widening at Ben’s startled look. 

“I suppose your mother forgot to mention a few details about me,” she said aloud, laughing softly. 

“I guess so,” Ben shot back. He wanted to smack himself for not sensing her presence in the force sooner, though he supposed he shouldn’t be too hard on himself as he truly realised how dim that presence was. 

“Yes, my abilities are nowhere near as strong as yours or your mothers. They’re mostly confined to little tricks for my own amusement or survival.”

She demonstrated this by pulling a credit from her pocket, holding it flat in her palm. Ben watched in amusement as it began to levitate, spinning in the air before landing back in her palm. It was a trick similar to the kind his uncle used to do for him when he was a youngling. 

“However,” she continued, her tone becoming serious. “It doesn’t take a master to sense your inner turmoil.”

Ben stiffened at her words. 

“Inner turmoil?” he repeated, projecting his disbelief back toward her. 

She chuckled beside him. 

“There’s no need to get defensive. Whoever he is, he’s very attractive.”

Ben’s cheeks flushed with heat. He was poised to answer when something else pulled at his senses; a warning. 

“The First Order is here. We have to go,” he said just as the distinct sound of a trooper transport shuttle landing seemed to send the surrounding crowd into an uproar. 

Halla turned to a panel on the wall inside the entrance, pressing several buttons before grabbing Ben by the wrist and pulling him through the door. Poe followed behind, just barely getting through fast enough as the bunker’s doors screeched closed, locking from the inside. 

The three quickly made their way away from the abandoned outpost, weaving through the trees. Stormtroopers came in from every angle, pushing past the onrush of screeching Ewoks; searching. 

“We need to hide,” Poe urged, Ben nodding in agreement and briefly searching around before leading them into the thicker part of the woods to duck behind a rather sizable boulder. He tapped into the surface thoughts surrounding him, feeling outward. 

Amidst the wayward thoughts of the searching Troopers, there was suddenly a terrifyingly familiar presence. Ben only needed to search for a moment before he spotted the telltale blur of red hidden beneath a cap, the swish of an impossibly clean black greatcoat, the flash of cold sea green eyes; General Hux.

”The General of the First Order? _That’s _who I saw in your head?” Halla hissed toward him, her look absolutely incredulous.

Ben ignored her, fighting the flush of shame from his cheeks as he continued to survey the area. 

An older Officer stood beside Hux; Ben recognised him immediately as Captain Peavey. He could instantly feel the shared contempt between the two. 

“How the hell did they find us?” Poe hissed, his back pressed against the boulder as he took hold of his blaster. 

“There are First Order informants everywhere,” Halla whispered. “They must’ve put a bolo out on your ship. Did you fly through core space to get here?”

“No,” Poe said. “Only Mid and Outer Rim. We only saw one ship on the way.”

“One ship of First Order sympathizers is enough,” Halla replied. 

“Well, however they found us, we need to run now,” Ben stated, moving to peek around the boulder cautiously. 

He stopped breathing as his eyes landed on three black clad masked figures as they stepped out of their ship.

The Knights of Ren. 

Memories of their last encounter flashed through his mind; flashes of blaster fire, the echo of screams. His pulse raced, his body overtaken by a cold sweat as the one in the centre turned their masked face towards him. He felt as if they were staring directly into him. 

“Now. Go now!” he yelled, gently but swiftly pulling Halla to her feet. The three of them began to sprint as Hux shouted commands for his Troopers to follow them, his authoritative growling voice growing more and more distant as the trees around them grew denser. 

The clacking of Stormtrooper armour and snapping twigs filled the air as they ran. Ben knew the Knights weren’t far behind. They weaved through the trees, vaulting over rocks and ducking beneath low hanging branches and vines. 

Ben cursed internally as they neared a dead end in the form of a towering cliff face, the only way through a narrow passage carved into the stone. 

“Get in!” Ben called, ushering Poe and Halla through the entrance. 

“We can’t go down this way! We’ll be picked off like flies the second those Troopers are close enough!” Poe insisted. 

Ben glanced back over his shoulder as the Troopers neared, weighing his options. 

“Poe, get to the ship and warm it up. I’ll be there soon,” he said quickly, raising a hand above them. 

Poe’s eyes went wide as he opened his mouth to argue but was cut off as Ben force pulled the loose rocks down from above to block the entrance of the tunnel, effectively shielding Poe and Halla from the incoming fire of blaster bolts. 

“You bastard!” came Poe’s muffled voice from behind the wall. 

Without looking back, Ben turned to his right and ran. Poe would be livid with him, but at least the two of them were safe. That was the only comfort he had as he raced through the thick grouping of trees, dodging as stun bolts flew over his head. There had to be at least twenty Troopers chasing him at that point, that thought only pushing him to run faster. 

He glanced upward at the familiar sound of Ewoks whooping overhead, calling out to him. Before he could change his mind, he sprinted and leapt into the air, catching onto a vine and hoisting himself up with a small grunt of effort. He climbed past the tangled canopy of vines, bolts whizzing past his body as he pulled himself onto a hanging bridge in the centre of the Ewok’s treetop village, very high off the ground now. 

The small creatures chittered and screeched as he ran past them, throwing their spears at the Stormtroopers below with deadly accuracy. 

He glanced over his shoulder at the sound of another pair of boots hitting the wooden slats of the bridge behind him, spotting one of the black clad Knights tailing him closely. 

He raced along a platform holding up a small hut, vaulting over the short fence at the edge. He soared through the air, aiming for a hanging bridge twenty feet below. Reaching his target, he rotated his body midair to land on his shoulder, rolling with the impact and jumping to his feet and continuing his dead sprint.

The bridge rocked as the Knight landed a bit harder on it then Ben had. He could hear the distorted grunt as the Knight righted themselves, unsheathing their weapon as they ran. 

The hum of the Mandalorian executioner vibro-ax sent a cold sliver of fear down Ben’s spine as he raced onto another platform, ducking into a wooden hut, jumping over a small table inside and diving through the window on the other side. 

The knight bypassed his route, simply climbing and vaulting over the hut. Ben skidded to a halt as the Knight landed before him, spinning their vibro-ax with a flourish. 

“Ben Solo. At last, we meet again,” they hissed through the vocoder in their skeletal helmet. 

Ben swallowed the fear that came from being once more face to face with the Knight, his feet spread and his brow set in determination. 

“Took you awhile, huh?” he said teasingly, flexing his fingers readily. 

“It would’ve taken significantly less time if you hadn’t been running like a coward.”

Ben found himself laughing aloud in disbelief. He could feel the confusion and anger that radiated from the Knight as they watched him catch his breath. 

“I wasn’t running. I didn’t even know you were searching for me,” he admitted, watching the knights gloved fist clench tightly around their vibro-ax. 

“Nine years, huh? You guys really mailed it in.”

At that the Knight swung their ax with an enraged shout. Ben ducked the swing, sliding through the gap between the Knight and the side of the rope bridge and sprinting toward the platform on the other side. 

The Knight spun around to follow, but Ben summoned his saber to his hand, activating the blue blade and slicing through the ropes holding up the bridge. 

He watched as the Knight plummeted down twenty feet before landing gracelessly on their back on a lower platform, Ewoks swarming around them until Ben could no longer see their body. 

He laughed incredulously as he continued to run, more Ewoks following behind as they rained down an assault on his pursuers. He chanced a glance downward to see that out of the previous twenty, only seven Troopers remained, and the other two Knights were nowhere in sight. 

Ben gasped in surprise as, in his moment of distraction, he ran directly off of a platform, sending himself plummeting toward the forest floor below. He twisted at the last moment, his side taking most of the impact. He concentrated his energy there and the pain was dampened enough to be dealt with later. 

He pulled himself to his feet once again and the chase resumed, the Troopers beginning to catch up behind him after his small delay. He led them further through the thick brush, his lungs burning as they worked double time. The Ewok village was far behind, the war whooping a distant echo in the forest.

Finally he reached a small clearing, skidding to a halt and turning on his heel to face his enemies. 

The Troopers formed a semi-circle around him, their weapons raised. Two on each end activated their Z6 batons, standing at the ready. 

“Solo,” one said, blaster rifle pointed directly at him. “By order of General Hux, you will surrender your weapons and submit to the First Order.”

“It's absolutely unfair that you guys don’t sound out of breath” Ben panted out, ignoring the Troopers threats as he pushed loose strands of hair out of his face. 

“If you do not surrender, we will be forced to incapacitate you,” the Trooper snapped, jerking his rifle toward him in warning. 

“Oh?” Ben said, straightening his posture with a cocky lopsided grin. “I’d love to see you try.”

Before the Trooper could react, Ben’s lightsaber hilt flew off of his belt and into his hand, the blue blade activating with a flash. 

………

Hux’s heart was in his throat as he raced through the trees. Over his own heavy breathing he could hear the whir of Solo’s lightsaber in the distance, accompanied by blaster fire. 

He’d abandoned his greatcoat long ago, knowing it would have only held him back as he maneuvered through the thick brush of Endor’s forest. He’d lost Captain Peavey along the way, but he was quite honestly glad to be rid of him for the moment. He was so close to capturing the bastard Jedi that eluded him, he couldn’t focus on keeping track of the old Captain. 

The smell of burning plastoid composite and flesh filled the air and Hux resisted the urge to gag. 

He quietly approached the clearing where Ben Solo stood, raising his blaster as the Jedi Knight slashed down the final Trooper that had dared to stand against him. Steadying his arm and closing one eye, Hux took in a deep breath and fired. 

Solo just managed to dodge the shot, the bolt whizzing past his head and blasting a chunk out of a nearby tree. The man turned to face him with a determined frown, the blue blade of his saber casting an unearthly glow on his face just as it had when he’d rescued him from the Gorgodon on Ilum. 

Hux stepped into the clearing, not taking his eyes off of Solo nor lowering his blaster. 

“I’m surprised you came to face me alone,” Solo said almost conversationally, his deep voice seeming to reverberate in Hux’s lungs. His grip on his gently humming lightsaber tightened, his body tense and prepared to fight. 

“Well, you know the old adage. If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself,” Hux shot back, his glare boring holes into the man’s skull as his finger drifted to the trigger once again, poised to fire at the slightest provocation.

“I assume you’ve forgotten what you saw on Ilum, then?” Solo questioned, his tone far more amused then it should’ve been. 

The memory of Ben Solo effortlessly defending himself against his entire squadron of Troopers came to the forefront of his mind, anger at his sheer insolence heating his cheeks.

“Oh I certainly haven’t forgotten. I’m simply not intimidated by you,” Hux snapped in response, the leather of his glove creaking as his grip tightened on the blaster. 

The tension in the air was palpable, either one waiting for the other to make the first move. An eerily calm feeling settled over Hux. This was inevitably how their odd relationship was supposed to end; a deathmatch on a nearly abandoned forest moon. 

Suddenly Solo huffed a laugh, the sound sending a shock of disbelief through Hux. He shook his head, deactivating his lightsaber and lowering his arm.

Hux blinked in surprise, the feeling of ease wiped completely from his mind as if it had never been there. He stared at the hilt of the saber, so much more benign looking without the hum of the blue plasma blade. He looked to Solo’s suddenly passive face and found his own rage building. 

“What are you doing?” he questioned, his jaw so tense it ached. 

“Nothing,” Solo answered as if it were the simplest thing in the world. Hux grit his teeth, his entire body beginning to shake with rage. 

“You would dismiss me as if I’m no more a threat to you than a docile Loth Cat?” he snapped as he raised his blaster more aggressively, taking a small step forward as he tried to compose himself. 

“You aren’t,” Solo shrugged, dark eyes boring into Hux’s. 

“I should kill you where you stand,” Hux spat, his shoulders tense with fierce anger as Ben simply tilted his head just slightly, as if a real reaction wasn’t worth his energy. 

“You won’t,” he said, those two words so easily uttered sending Hux over the edge. 

He had pulled the trigger before he could think, the sound of the bolt firing accompanied by the now familiar crackling screech of a lightsaber coming to life. The bolt hit the saber, vivid red and blue clashing together before the bolt was harmlessly redirected to the ground, leaving behind a simmering hole. 

Hux fired shot after shot, gritting his teeth as none came close to his target. He stood his ground as Solo advanced, his arms turning to jelly at the repetitive jarring from the kickback of his blaster. 

His vision reddened around the edges, tunneling until he saw only Ben Solo, face engulfed in blue light like some sort of avenging angel. 

Firing one final shot, Hux watched in absolute horror and amazement as the bolt froze in midair, resting in the space between them. 

The blaster flew from Hux’s surprise slackened grip then, smacking against Ben’s palm as he caught it. He dropped it carelessly to the ground, intense dark eyes locking onto Hux as the frozen bolt sputtered and hummed. 

“Give up, General,” Solo said, deactivating his lightsaber once again and attaching it to his belt. 

“I can’t,” Hux breathed. 

Before he could continue, the sound of a shot fired off in the distance. He watched perplexed as Solo’s eyes widened considerably, his shockingly expressive face taking on a look of utter awareness. 

Hux watched as if in slow motion as one of Solo’s hands raised, an all too familiar invisible grip taking hold of Hux’s entire form and throwing him to the ground as a bolt intended for him flew harmlessly over his head. At the same time, the bolt from Hux’s own blaster, previously frozen in midair, was released from its own hold, hitting its mark. 

Solo grunted in pain, falling to his knee with one hand clutching at his side. Wet blood stained the black fabric of his shirt beneath his vest and he winced in pain. 

Hux pushed himself up on his hands and knees, blinking at the simmering hole left in a nearby tree, exactly head height in his previous position. He glanced toward Solo as he rose, stumbling slightly as he held a hand to his bleeding wound. 

He couldn’t process anything of what had just occurred. He could only stare into Solo’s deep dark eyes as the man stared back. 

“Why?” he managed to say, the word barely a whisper on the wind. 

He hoped to communicate with that one syllable the utter disorientation and turmoil and anger he felt at the realisation that this was the second time Ben Solo, his enemy, the man he was charged to capture, had saved his life. 

The corner of Solo’s lips tugged upwards in an infuriating smirk and Hux knew he understood exactly what he meant; and he was most certainly not going to answer Hux’s query. 

For the second time in quick succession, Hux watched as Ben Solo escaped, unable to do a single thing as he disappeared behind a thick wall of trees. 

Moments later, he watched as that all too familiar Corellian ship flew overhead, disappearing through the clouds. 

This was not good. 

………

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote all of this in one day because I got excited. I’m emotionally exhausted, but it’s here. We’ve reached the true beginning of this wild plot and I’m very excited!
> 
> ~Cynical


	7. I Stand Accused

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~Chapter Vibe~
> 
> https://youtu.be/rNd4sL1OpcE

Hux steeled himself as he knelt before Snoke, head bowed in deference. With a calm demeanor despite the nausea rising in the pit of his stomach, he had gone about very clearly explaining his side of the story, emphasizing the circumstances that rendered his control of the situation impossible; the lack of vital knowledge on his part that, in all three past instances, had blown up in his face rather spectacularly. 

As he spoke, Snoke listened, staring down at him from his throne with a frown that deepened with every word. 

Hux took a deep, grounding breath as he finished speaking, eyes cast downward to the polished black floor. His reflection stared back and he was struck with the sudden thought that he looked utterly exhausted. 

_ “Tell me, General,” _ Snoke started, his tone so unnervingly calm it made Hux want to flinch away; to hop in a shuttle and flee as far away as possible.

_ “How long did you expect to skate by on such flimsy excuses?” _

A heavy weight settled in the pit of Hux’s stomach, as if he’d swallowed solid lead.

“I-“ he tried to answer, Snoke effectively silencing him with the raising of one boney hand. He tried not to whimper as the all too familiar sensation of the force surrounded him, holding him in a bruising grip. 

_ “Long have I considered the method of punishment I would employ for when you would inevitably fail me. Would I have you tortured? Thrown in a cell and isolated for the remainder of your days? Starved, beaten, humiliated; then it truly came to me.” _

Snoke paused, beady eyes meeting Hux’s glassy green as the General attempted to steady his breathing. 

_ “You scratched and clawed your way up the chain of command to finally attain your rank as General; quite a remarkable feat for one so young. Now, however, I question how truly deserving you are of your station.  _

_ “Therefore, to pay for your failures I would have you stripped of your rank and demoted all the way down to a lowly Stormtrooper. You’d be reconditioned alongside the newest recruits, but never to the degree where you’d forget your past life. You’d be forced to watch as the very men you looked down upon rose in the ranks while you, once so high and mighty, would remain at the bottom, faceless, nameless, and insignificant; forgotten.” _

Utter and complete numbness overtook Hux as he listened to Snoke speak; he felt as if he was watching his accomplishments, his reputation, his very life slip away before his eyes. All that he’d worked for in his 29 years of life gone in the blink of an eye, but at least he would live. He was patient. He knew he could think of something if given the chance and the time. He could survive anything as long as he was in his right mind. 

_ “That  _ would _ have been the plan had I not recently received some rather… interesting information,” _ Snoke stated.

The numbness previously settled in Hux’s mind shattered like black ice under a Tauntaun, replaced with fear and foreboding as Captain Peavey appeared from behind the throne, smile akin to a Mantessan Panthac seizing up its prey. 

“Captain, what is this,” he said, forcing back the quiver of rage and terror in his voice as he stared the older man down. 

“Armitage,” the other man answered, standing proudly at the foot of the throne. Hux’s eye twitched at the use of his first name, only succeeding in widening Peavey’s smug smile. The older man laughed, the noise sounding wrong coming from one so joyless and bitter. 

“I must say, I’d always had my doubts in your leadership, but I truly never expected such disloyalty, such betrayal, from you.”

“Disloyalty?” Hux repeated incredulously, eyes flickering from Peavey’s satisfied smirk to Snoke’s stone cold countenance. 

“Don’t play coy, Hux,” Peavey spat, moving to circle him like the bloodthirsty predator he was. 

“I know your secret. I know you’re working with the Resistance.”

“What?” Hux breathed, his confusion increasing tenfold as Peavey let out another vicious laugh at his expense. 

“Don’t try to pretend. I saw your confrontation with Ben Solo on Endor. He allowed himself to be wounded in order to save your worthless life.”

All of the blood drained from Hux’s face, the memory of that very moment flashing through his mind. How Solo had force pushed him to the ground, a blaster bolt with his name on it whizzing past harmlessly while the bolt fired from his own gun, previously frozen in midair, found its mark in Ben Solo’s side. 

“That wasn’t… He…” Hux found himself floundering for the first time in many years. He couldn’t conjure the correct words, staring open mouthed towards Snoke as that twisted face watched in a sick parody of amusement. 

“After watching that scene unfold, your other encounters with Solo began to truly make sense,” Peavey continued.

“His evidently miraculous escape from this very ship using your personal code to open the cell door, his mysterious appearance on the planet set to house Starkiller Base coupled with the fact that you were the sole survivor of the battle that followed. You were truly foolish to think you wouldn’t be figured out. But then, I always knew your ridiculous confidence would be your downfall.”

Hux felt as if he were choking, suffocating as the purely circumstantial evidence piled up against him. He looked to Snoke, his argument dying on his tongue as he stared into that twisted face. 

Snoke could see into his mind. He knew what Peavey said was untrue, he knew of Hux’s fierce loyalty to the First Order. He simply didn’t care. This was merely a convenient way to rid himself of a problem; to rid himself of Hux. 

_ “Given this new information, I believe my initial punishment far too lenient for such disgusting crimes,”  _ Snoke stated, leaning forward in his throne and motioning outward. The doors of the chamber opened, and though Hux physically couldn’t turn to look, he knew it was the Knights of Ren that approached him, their heavy footfalls echoing loudly in the cavernous room. 

_ “For your treason, you shall be stripped of your rank and publicly executed. We shall make an example of your death, broadcasting it to every corner of the galaxy so that all may see what comes of betraying the First Order.” _

The crackling of an electrostaff sounded behind him and suddenly Hux’s entire world was agony. Every nerve ending, every muscle, every cell in his body felt as if it were on fire. His teeth were clenched hard enough he worried they’d crack, but he knew if he unclenched his jaw he’d be screaming in a heartbeat. 

His vision was tunneled on Snoke’s grotesque projected face, twisted into what Hux supposed passed for a smile as he watched the attack. That twisted imitation of a grin was the last thing Hux saw before he was enveloped in blissful darkness. 

………

“You absolute bastard! What kind of moron are you, huh? How could you have possibly thought you could pull a stunt like that and come out ok? You dick!”

Ben stared at the ceiling of the infirmary as Poe ranted and paced furiously beside his cot, breathing deeply as the medical droid worked on closing his wound. His parents stood to the side, Han’s arm wrapped around Leia’s shoulders as they watched silently. 

“I mean, honestly! That was so reckless and dangerous and look where it got you! Shot in the side by General Ginger! You’re lucky he got to you before I could!”

He’d been listening to Poe non-stop for nearly ten minutes, though he supposed the yelling was preferable to the stony silence he’d received on the trip home. 

Ben glanced over toward his mother, wincing as the droid began to apply bacta to his wound. 

“Do you have anything to add to this?”

“No, I think Poe’s doing my job pretty effectively himself,” Leia replied with a small smirk. 

At that, Poe finally ceased his pacing, approaching Ben’s bedside and squatting down to face level. 

“Never do that to me again. As much as I hate to admit it, you’re my best friend and I can’t lose you,” he said, placing a hand on Ben’s bare shoulder. 

“I’m sorry, Poe,” Ben said sincerely, placing his own hand over Poe’s.

With just those three words, Poe nodded in satisfaction, squeezing his shoulder twice before rising. Ben glanced back over to the medical droid as she asked him to sit up, following her orders and staying still as she placed a bacta pad on his side and wrapped a bandage around his stomach to secure it. 

“All done,” she said, going about cleaning her workplace. 

“Thank you,” Ben said, leaning back against the headboard of the cot and sighing deeply. 

Han moved to stand at the foot of the cot with a tired smile, stepping out of the way of the droid as she exited the room. 

“We’re glad you’re ok, kid. You gave your mother and I quite the scare, you know.”

Ben huffed a laugh as his father walked around the cot, ruffling his hair. 

“We called your uncle while you were passed out; told him what happened. He’s going to move himself and the Younglings here for a while.”

“That’s a good plan,” Ben said as unbidden memories of the masked Knights flooded his mind. 

“And Halla’s people will be arriving shortly as well,” Leia added, sitting on the edge of the bed. “There is much to arrange in that regard. Would you like to be present for the discussion?”

Ben considered that for a moment before shaking his head. 

“That’s alright. I think I’ll be busy enough with the Younglings arriving.”

Leia chuckled softly, placing a hand on his knee. 

“Very well. We need to be going now. Call for us if you need anything,” she said gently, leading Han toward the door. 

“Take care of him, Poe,” she called before the door gently shut behind them, leaving them alone. 

A long moment of silence passed between the two, Poe leaning against the wall trying to calm his hot temper as Ben attempted to find a more comfortable position without jarring his wound. 

“Hey,” Poe said, pushing off of the wall to help situate his pillow behind him. “I’m sorry for yelling. I know I’m being kind of a hypocrite with all this lecturing you about being reckless.”

Ben snorted at that, leaning back against the pillow with only a slight wince. 

“I wasn’t going to bring that up,” he said with a grin, raising his hands innocently at Poe’s playful glare. 

“I really am glad you’re ok, Ben. And hey, next time we see Hugs, I’ll give him a blaster wound to match the one he gave you.”

Ben cast his eyes downward, his hands fidgeting in his lap. Poe immediately caught the oddly guilty look on his face, sitting on the edge of the cot and leaning in close. 

“Ben. Did you leave something out of the story earlier? Something you perhaps didn’t want your parents to hear?” Poe spoke slowly, enunciating every word very carefully and accusatorially. Ben ducked his head, his shoulders hunching under Poe’s scrutinizing gaze. 

“Oh kriff. Did Hux not shoot you?” Poe questioned, his eyes going wide. 

“No! No, it… it was Hux. It was just… I froze the bolt he’d fired in midair. We were talking. I told him to give up, but he said he couldn’t. When he looked at me, I could feel his fear as clearly as if it were my own. And then a shot came from the side, meant to take Hux out. I…”

Poe’s face went slack with disbelief. 

“You pushed him out of the way. You saved him again.”

Ben nodded. 

“I shouldn’t have. I should’ve just let him die. I mean, he’s hunting me for fasks sake! I just… I just couldn’t let it happen.”

“What do you mean you couldn’t?! Is it that force connection thing? Are you sure it isn’t messing with your head? I mean, surely you remember-“

As if on cue, Poe’s voice faded out, Ben’s ears ringing as his surroundings began to swim around him. His eyes snapped shut as the tone grew louder when it was suddenly replaced by near complete silence. 

Ben’s eyes opened once more to see General Hux, surrounded by a void of white that ever so slowly came into focus around him. He was seated on a metal bench of some kind, his hands behind his back. His breaths were shallow and for a moment Ben thought he was asleep, until he took a step forward and those glassy green eyes trailed up to stare right at him. 

_ “Come to gloat, have you?” _ he drawled wearily, leaning his head back against the durasteel wall as the previously blinding brightness dimmed.  _ “To kick me while I’m down?” _

“As tempting an offer as that is, I’ll have to pass,” Ben shrugged, glancing about the space as the details of the chamber were very slowly revealed. The room was small. There was a structure in the centre that could have been a desk of some kind, or perhaps a bed. Ben couldn’t quite focus on it. 

Hux’s frown deepened, the purple bags under his eyes somehow more defined than before. His cheeks were sallow and his pale face was almost grey. He looked exhausted. 

_ “Then why have you come?” _ Hux demanded, his tone utterly hostile, completely devoid of his usual sharp humour and cockiness. 

“Can’t a casual enemy just pop in for a visit?” Ben quipped, eyes traveling over the strange but blurry room. “Where are you? Is this your bedroom? It’s almost medically clean.”

_ “Why are you in my head, Solo? Why are you doing this?” _ he questioned insistently, his words biting in their intensity.

“I’m not doing this on purpose. I’ve never done this on purpose. I don’t actually know why this is happening,” Ben felt compelled to admit, continuing to attempt to parse his surroundings as they slowly faded in. 

Hux’s pale face reddened in frustration as he shot up from the bench he’d been seated on, approaching Ben with a scowl and leaning in close to his face. 

_ “Well, figure it out! It shouldn’t be that hard, what with your mystical powers and all! Figure it out and get the kriff out of my head! Just leave me to my fate like you should’ve done the last two times you decided to meddle!” _

Ben blinked in surprise, two realizations hitting him at once; the first one being that Hux’s hands were bound behind his back, the second one being the sudden recognition of the familiar interior of the inside of a First Order cell. Suddenly Hux’s surroundings came into sharp focus, the structure he’d thought to be a bed actually an interrogation table. Hux’s uniform appeared torn and dirtied as if he hadn’t changed his clothes since returning from Endor. 

“Hux, are you… are you in a cell?” he asked, looking directly into those red-rimmed green eyes. He could see his own confused expression reflected back from those glassy depths. 

Hux opened his mouth to reply, but froze as the door to the cell hissed open. Ben’s gaze snapped over to get a glimpse of whoever had entered, but the image faded out, Hux’s mortified face swimming before his eyes. 

Ben blinked, his eyes opening once again to see Hux’s face had been replaced by Poe’s, terrified green now concerned brown. 

“Ben?” he said, gripping both of his shoulders firmly. 

“Poe. I…” Ben trailed off, the image of those unnerved green eyes sticking with him as if burned into the inside of his eyelids. 

“Did you have another vision? Was it him? Was it Hux?” Poe inquired, relaxing now that Ben had evidently come out of his trance. 

“Yeah. He was… in a cell.”

“A cell? The First Order imprisoned their own General?” Poe asked incredulously. “What did he do?”

Memories forced their way to the forefront of his mind; images of Hux speaking with that creature who commanded the General to find him. He remembered the pain Hux had been in as he addressed his Supreme Leader after the confrontation on Ilum. He remembered the fear Hux had felt speaking to that twisted being. 

_ ‘Just leave me to my fate like you should’ve done the last two times you decided to meddle!’ _

“He failed to capture me,” Ben breathed, carding a hand through his hair as he realised just what Hux had been saying. 

“That’s why he was so confused and angry both times I saved him. Because he knew that if he couldn’t capture me or I didn’t let him die, he’d have to go back to that monster empty handed and he’d be punished.”

“So they’re just gonna kill him? Just like that?” Poe inquired, rubbing his stubbly chin contemplatively. 

“They have everything they need from him,” Ben said, sitting up further and swinging his legs over the side of the cot.

“That’s insane,” Poe whispered to himself, his thoughtful expression deepening. 

Ben glanced over him suspiciously. He knew that look instantly. 

“What are you planning, Dameron?”

Poe stood abruptly, turning to face Ben with an almost manic grin. 

“The First Order is planning to just throw away their General,” Poe stated. 

“… Yes?” Ben urged, shifting his position to face his scheming friend.

“It sure would be bad for them if we got to him first.”

Silence stretched on between the two for a long moment as Ben took in Poe’s words, his mouth open as he tried and failed to formulate a reply. 

“Stay with me here for a minute, Solo. This guy could be up for execution by his own people, right? So what if we just waltz on in there, rescue him, and bring him here? We’ll have a top level informant!”

“Let me see if I have this right,” Ben started, placing his hands on his knees and leaning forward.

“You want to sneak onboard a First Order resurgent class Star Destroyer to break General Hux out of prison?”

“Yep,” Poe answered simply, crossing his arms. 

With very little hesitation, Ben pushed himself up from the cot, plucking his newly washed black shirt off of a nearby chair and pulling it on. 

“You’re absolutely crazy, Dameron. Which ship should we take?”

………

Ben and Poe made their way across the small makeshift shipyard, heading toward the Falcon, toting their hastily packed supply bags along with them. 

“We need a concrete plan. How are we going to get in undetected?” Poe asked quietly, lugging his bag over his shoulder. 

“We can’t go the prisoner route this time. We need to figure out-“

“Going somewhere, boys?”

Poe and Ben jumped as Han stepped out from behind a nearby shuttle, walking to stand just in front of the Falcon with his arms crossed, expression stern. 

“Dad. We, um…” Ben faltered, ducking his head at his father's unimpressed gaze. 

“Don’t you dare lie to me, Ben Solo Organa,” Han said seriously, wagging an authoritative finger. “What are you two up to?”

Poe stepped forward, head lowered like a chastised dog as he dropped his bag. 

“We’re, um, infiltrating a Star Destroyer to rescue a prisoner,” Poe admitted guiltily. 

Han’s expression barely changed at that, seemingly not remotely surprised. 

“And how are you going to do that? Are you going in with a complete plan?”

Han sighed in frustration at their blank stares, shaking his head. 

“Well you’re not taking my ship. Take a small unmarked shuttle and go in through the garbage hatch. The trash compactor resets after the contents is ejected, so you’ll have a solid hour or two to get whoever you’re going for and get the hell out of there. I’m guessing you probably won’t be able to get back before your mother notices you’re gone, so I’ll have to deal with that.”

Ben and Poe glanced at each other, their brows nearly disappearing in their hairlines in their surprise. 

“Wow. Thanks, Han,” Poe said, picking up his dufflebag. 

“Don’t thank me yet. Threepeo is going with you.”

“Dad!” Ben started to argue, quickly shutting his mouth at a pointed look.

“Fine. We’ll bring Threepeo,” he grumbled in acquiescence, snatching his own dufflebag up and trudging off to find the droid. 

………

_ ‘I’m not doing this on purpose, General. I’ve never done this on purpose. I don’t actually know why this is happening.’ _

That’s what Ben Solo had said as he, for a third time, stood before him like a haunting spirit taunting him for his failures. The revelation that Solo was just as confused about their shared visions as he was did nothing to quell his rage. 

Hux moved against the restraints holding him against the interrogation table in the centre of his cell, trying not to remember how startled and concerned Solo had looked when he’d figured out that was where he was. The Troopers that had entered and interrupted the ordeal with Solo had strapped him down with a reluctance Hux almost appreciated. 

His Troopers were still loyal to him, even now. That thought in of itself was almost comforting. 

Hux stared at the ceiling as the door to his cell opened once again. Boots clicked against the durasteel floor as Captain Peavey entered with a smirk, smugly looking him over. 

“Armitage Hux,” the man spoke, his sickening smirk stretching further across his greasy face.

“Look how far you’ve fallen. Stripped of your title, taken prisoner by your own army, dressed in filthy tattered rags, restrained like the treasonous scum you are.”

Hux ignored him, keeping his eyes glued to the same spot on the ceiling. 

“What, no retaliation? No hollow threats or biting insults? Don’t tell me you’ve been declawed.”

Hux refused to acknowledge the insults, concentrating on keeping his expression emotionless. 

He knew the slap was coming before it landed, feeling the blood rush to his burning cheek as the man gritted his teeth in obvious annoyance. 

“Already resorting to physical abuse?” Hux scoffed, his tired eyes glimmering with haughty amusement. 

“Silence! You will speak only when ordered to,” Peavey growled. 

Hux’s answering eyebrow quirk seemed only to provoke the ire of the man further. His fist clenched, the leather of his gloves creaking loudly in the silence of the cell. 

“Since you don’t seem to be in a cooperative mood, I’m only going to ask this once; where is Ben Solo?” he demanded.

“Ben Solo? How should I know?” Hux said, his glare poisonous. 

Peavey scoffed, raising his hand and slapping Hux once again, harder this time.

“Don’t play ignorant. I know you’re working with him,” the older man sneered, leaning closer and closer into Hux’s personal space. “If you don’t tell me where he is, things will get rather unpleasant for you.”

“If you believe the prospect of torture frightens me, you’re in for a surprise,” Hux shot back, keeping his tone defiantly calm. 

“You can play at being brave all you like, Armitage. I know you’re a traitor and unless you’d like to die one, I suggest you confess to your crimes.”

“I am not a traitor. I am and have always been loyal to the First Order. You’re wrong.”

“Am I?” Peavey scoffed, walking forward and leaning in close enough that Hux could smell him.

“Because I’m the one that tried to shoot you on Endor. I watched with my own eyes as Ben Solo saved your miserable life. Explain  _ that _ to me.”

Hux’s words caught in his throat, all of the blood leaving his face as he was filled with cold dread. 

“I… I am loyal to the First Order,” he repeated, unable to think of anything else. 

“Well,” Peavey huffed, running a gloved finger along Hux’s jaw, gripping his chin and tilting his head up to meet his gaze. “It’s too bad the First Order is not loyal to you.”

Hux felt the words like a blow to his chest, knocking the air out of him. His entire body tensed as Peavy’s grin widened, his dead, emotionless eyes sweeping over Hux’s doubtlessly horrified countenance. 

He seemed to enjoy the effect his malicious words had on the younger man. 

“That’s done something, hasn’t it? You’re afraid, General,” he teased, sounding almost gleeful. 

“No,” Hux rasped, clenching his fists tight enough to make his hands shake. 

“You’ll be disgraced,” Peavey hissed, coming far too close to once again whisper in his ear. 

“You’ll lose everything you’ve worked for, killed for, and to top it all off, you’ll have to watch me receive your title before your miserable life is ended before the entirety of the First Order.”

Without another word, Peavey straightened up as the door opened and an interrogation droid entered the cell. Hux let out a shaky breath as the man patted his shoulder. 

“I’m going to enjoy this, Hux,” he breathed, sending a shiver of dread down Hux’s spine. 

“I believe you.”

………

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was cut in half because it’s been a while since I updated. Sorry for the wait! The next chapter will hopefully be out soon!
> 
> ~Cynical


	8. With the Lights Out it’s Less Dangerous

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~Chapter Vibe~
> 
> https://youtu.be/YiY3twlWA_I
> 
> ⭐️Trigger Warning!! There is a minorly graphic interrogation scene. If you aren’t ok with that, feel free to skip past the Hux POV scene. All scene changes or POV switches are marked with ”………” to make it easier⭐️

“Shit,” Ben breathed as his eyes snapped open, the ghostly feeling of the sadistic Captain’s hand on his shoulder lingering for far too long after the vision had faded. 

“Another one?” Poe asked from beside him as he once again registered his surroundings. He relaxed in the copilot seat of the small shuttle, staring out of the viewport before him as stars warped past in long streaks of blue. 

“Yeah. He’s being interrogated. He’s been framed for treason with the claim that he’s conspiring with me.”

Poe snorted, shaking his head. 

“If only.”

“If I may interrupt, Master Ben,” Threepeo started as he wobbled stiffly into the cockpit. “I believe we should discuss your plan of action.”

Ben tried not to show his frustration, glancing back toward the fussy but well meaning droid. 

“We already have, Threepeo,” he sighed. 

“The second we hit First Order space, we turn off all ship functions but life support and steering, and maneuver beneath the Finalizer undetected. We’ll wait for the garbage hatch to open to eject waste and we’ll fly in. You’ll stay with the ship while Poe and I head to the cells, break out the prisoner, and bring him back here.”

“Your plan seems to be missing a few steps, Master Ben. Namely how you will be locating the cells and how we will be escaping without being crushed,” Threepeo said pointedly, his circuits whirring with every small movement. 

“So we’ll improvise,” Ben said with a shrug, unable to hold back a smile as Poe struggled to stifle a laugh at Threepeo’s muttering of ‘oh dear oh dear oh dear’. He could tell Threepeo had more to say, but it was then that Poe raised a hand to signal that they’d reached the Unknown Regions; First Order space. 

He motioned for Ben to take his place, sitting in the copilot seat as Ben took the helm. 

“Alright. Going dark. No one says a word until I give the ok.”

The lights inside the ship powered off as Ben deactivated their radar and their navicomp, their only light source the stars speckling the viewport and Threepeo’s eyes. They drifted in utter silence as Ben concentrated, his eyes slipping closed. 

Tapping into his surroundings, he felt the guiding hand of the force steering him in the right direction. In his mind's eye he could see the distinct and foreboding shape of the approaching Star Destroyer; the Finalizer. As it grew closer and closer, Ben had the distinct feeling that what they were about to do, the path they were going down, would change everything. This was important, a choice that would change the course of the war; a point of no return. 

“We’re here,” he whispered, opening his eyes to take in the sight of the underneath of the Finalizer. He turned to glance at Poe, the other man sitting there in open mouthed shock.

“Poe? You alright?”

“Yeah. Fine. Just… the sheer stupidity of what we’re about to do has really sunk in.”

Ben smirked at that, steering the small shuttle up closer to the underbelly, where he knew a garbage chute would be. 

“Are you saying you want to turn around?” Ben questioned. 

“Kriff no. This is much more exciting then babysitting you in the infirmary,” Poe replied with a sideways grin. 

“Oh, Master Ben! Look there!” Threepeo said, pointing out the viewport. Ben’s eyes followed the motion, grinning as he spotted the garbage chute opening, compressed trash ejecting out. He accelerated forward, flying in through the slight opening, the closing hatch just barely clipping the back of the shuttle. Ben let out a long sigh of relief as they landed safely inside the large trash compactor. 

“Oh, I have a bad feeling about this,” Threepeo fretted as Ben and Poe rose from their seats, heading toward the doors of the shuttle. 

“Don’t worry, Threepeo. We’ll be back in less than an hour. I have a com on me if we need to contact you. Just wait here and keep the shuttle running.”

Before the anxious droid could reply, Ben and Poe walked down the short ramp, their boots squelching against the filthy slime covered floor as they approached the far wall. 

“Ok. I remember from your mom and dad’s stories that the chute should be up there,” Poe commented, pointing upward toward the small opening a few feet above them. 

“Now, I have no clue how we’ll get up there, but- holy shit!” he exclaimed as Ben focused his energy around Poe, force-lifting him into the air until he was level with the opening. 

“Kriff, Solo. Warn a guy!” Poe called down as he gripped the ledge, pulling himself up with a huff before disappearing through the small opening. 

Ben backed up a few paces, eyes locked on his target as he bent his knees, at the ready. With a running start, he lept into the air, his foot connecting with the sludge coated metal wall of the trash compactor and propelling him upward. He grasped the ledge, pulling himself up and following Poe. 

He emerged through the other side of the garbage chute, hopping down to stand in the middle of a long and thankfully empty corridor. 

“Thank kriff we’re out of there. When’s the last time they sanitized that place,” Poe griped, wiping his hands on his trousers as he and Ben took in their surroundings. 

“Threepeo,” Ben said softly into his com. “We made it out. Notify me when we’re running low on time.” 

After a short pause, the com crackled to life. 

_ “Do be careful, you two. Your father would have me decommissioned if I allowed anything to happen to you.” _

“Don’t worry, Threepeo. We’re walking now. Keep the line silent,” Ben replied before switching off his com and motioning for Poe to follow him. 

They made their way down the right side of the corridor, pressing their backs against the shiny black wall at the sound of approaching footsteps. 

“Troopers,” Ben whispered. “Two of them.”

“How convenient,” Poe said with a smirk. 

………

Hux took in an unsteady breath, his lungs burning at the intake. His entire body trembled as the interrogation droid produced a long needle. He watched as it brought it closer and closer until it plunged it into the side of his neck. 

Immediately the sensation of fire filled his veins, spreading from the injection point outward. He clenched his jaw at the blinding pain, his surroundings turning to static. He registered an oddly animalistic scream echoing in the distance, hazily realising it was he who was making it. 

“I’ll ask you again,” Peavey said for what could’ve been the hundredth time by then. Hux had lost count. 

“What have you told the Resistance?”

It took much of Hux’s remaining energy to roll his eyes, his head limply falling to the side to glare at the Captain. 

“As I’ve said,” he started, unable to keep his words from slurring together as he spoke. “I am and have always been loyal to the First Order.”

Peavey chuckled as he took a step forward and pushed Hux’s loose strands of hair back from his forehead. Hux felt nauseous at the contact, but he couldn’t move away. 

“Armitage,” Peavey breathed, the softness of his tone setting off alarm bells in Hux’s pain clouded mind. “Why do you allow yourself to suffer for those foolish rebels? Why do you keep their secrets?”

Peavey’s hand gripped his chin, forcing him to lock eyes with the older man. He leaned in close enough that Hux could see his own hatred reflected in those dead blue eyes. The feeling of the other man’s breath ghosting across his face made him want to recoil, get as far away as possible. 

“If you’d been paying attention, you’d see that I have no secrets,” Hux ground out through clenched teeth, struggling under Peavey’s grip as anger overtook his body. “I have never offered information to the Resistance. I am not working with Ben Solo! Just concede that this interrogation was utterly pointless and driven by some sick sense of vengeance, you absolute bastard!”

“Bastard?” Peavey repeated, patting his cheek before finally stepping back, walking around behind him to the other side of the interrogation table. 

“Funny. I thought that was you,” he said simply, his words like a physical blow to the gut. Hux’s face heated in unadulterated rage and humiliation as the other man motioned to the droid. 

He tried to brace himself for the next burst of pain, gripping the ends of the armrests he was bound to as it approached. He couldn’t quite hold back his shout of pain as he was jabbed in the side through his jacket, electricity spreading through his body like lightning flaring out in the sky during an Arkanisian storm. 

His ears were ringing, his eyes wide open as he tried and failed to breath. His back bowed as the voltage slowly increased. The smell of burning filled his nostrils as his body convulsed uncontrollably. Finally, the droid pulled away and his body fell completely limp against the table, his breath coming in shallowly as he shivered. 

“Same question one last time, Armitage.”

“Go. To. Hell,” Hux gasped out, every word more painful to force out then the last. 

“Hm. You’re stronger than I would’ve given you credit for. Pity. I would’ve liked to break you,” Peavey commented as if boredly discussing the weather with a colleague. 

“I suppose watching the light leave your eyes as you’re executed before the entirety of the First Order shall have to do. Now I must be going. I have a ceremony to prepare for.”

Hux watched numbly as Peavey turned and exited his cell with the droid, two armed Troopers entering to unlock his restraints. They pulled his limp body off of the table, dragging him to the metal bench and sitting him on it as they cuffed his hands behind his back. 

His eyes followed them as they left, the door closing behind them with a finality that brought a lump to his throat. 

_ ‘So this is how it ends. More than 18 years of service and dedication gone, just like that. I’m to die a traitor.’ _

He huffed a humourless laugh, disgusted with himself as tears began to leak from his eyes. He lay across the bench, the metal bands binding his arms digging uncomfortably into his back. 

Bitterly, he thought that this was typically the moment in the ridiculous stories his mother would read him as a child where a brave knight in shining armour would storm the palace and rescue the maiden in distress. But there would be no one in shining armour coming to rescue him. 

This was it. 

………

“Fask, this armour is too tight,” Ben grumbled from behind the mask, adjusting his white plastoid chest piece with a grimace. 

“You only have to tolerate it for a little while longer,” Poe said, pulling on his own Trooper helmet and picking up the discarded blaster rifle. 

Ben sighed deeply but ceased his complaints, walking to the sealed door to their right. 

“I think this is the way to the cells,” he stated as Poe walked over to stand beside him. 

“We need a code to open it. Any chance you managed to fish one out of one of the Troopers heads before you knocked them out?”

Ben smirked behind the mask, raising his hand and concentrating. The metal of the door gave a sharp shriek before it buckled inward, forced open.

“Or that works, I guess,” Poe said with a shrug.

Ben’s internal smugness was short-lived however, both men jumping back at the sight of a boy, no older than 15, staring back at them from just beyond the newly opened doorway. 

He was dressed in a white uniform tunic with grey lining and pockets, grey trousers, and black boots, his helmet tucked under his arm. The red First Order insignia stood out starkly against the surrounding white fabric on his left shoulder; a cadet Trooper. His skin and eyes were dark, his black hair cropped in the typical rigid military style. 

He didn’t appear afraid, more curious as he looked over the two of them with inquisitive dark brown eyes. Ben lowered his arm slowly like a child caught with their hand in the cookie jar, glancing at Poe as the boy considered them. 

“So…,” the boy started, glancing behind them at the unconscious bodies of the actual Troopers. “You guys aren’t Stormtroopers.”

“… No,” Poe admitted, tensely watching as the young Cadet’s gaze returned to them. 

“Are you with the Resistance?” he asked next, completely calm and collected. 

“Um… Yes?” Ben answered truthfully, feeling as if there was nothing else he could’ve possibly said. 

He expected the boy to run at the sight of them, to sound the alarm, to do something other than serenely question them from the doorway he’d just used the force to open. 

“Ok…” the boy said, clearly mulling something over in his head. “If I take you wherever you need to go, will you get me outta here? Maybe take me to the Resistance with you?”

Ben and Poe blinked, both rather bewildered by the cadets words. 

“You…  _ want _ to go to the Resistance?” Poe inquired. 

“Yeah,” the boy shrugged. 

“I’m not taking to my conditioning, so they’re sending me to Captain Phasma. Before I bumped into you guys, I was just gonna try and get to the hangar and see if I could fly outta here. I’ve never flown anything before, but trying is better than staying here to be brainwashed into, well, one of them,” he said, motioning to the unconscious Troopers once again. 

“Huh… What’s your name?” Ben asked, taking off his helmet, Poe doing the same. 

“I don’t have one,” the kid shrugged. “My designation is FN-2187.”

“No name, huh. How about… how about Finn?” Poe offered. 

The boy smiled at that, fervently nodding his approval. 

“Alright,” Poe said, holding out his hand in greeting. “Finn it is. My name is Poe Dameron, and this is Ben Solo. Welcome to the Resistance.”

The boy took his hand and shook it, his smile widening. 

Poe straightened up, he and Ben quickly pulling their helmets back on. 

“Ok. Where do we need to go?” Finn questioned. 

“To the Detention Block. We’re breaking someone out,” Ben stated, Finn nodding wordlessly and motioning for them to follow behind him as he replaced his own helmet. 

The three of them walked in silence, Ben surreptitiously closing the now warped door behind them. The hallways were fortunately empty, aside from the occasional small black BB unit wheeling past. 

With relative ease Ben reached out with the force, focusing on Hux’s familiar presence. He could feel the other man’s pain; an all encompassing searing sensation as if his insides had been set alight. The feeling made him clench his jaw and retreat from the connection, coming back to himself with a gasp muffled by the vocoder in his helmet. 

“The detention block is just through there,” Finn said softly, nodding toward the sealed door. “Who are you breaking out?”

“General Hux,” Ben replied easily as he watched Finn type in his personnel code, the door sliding open with a hiss. The younger boy froze halfway through the doorway, glancing back at him. 

“General Hux,” he repeated incredulously. “So he  _ was _ working with the Resistance, just like the older Cadets said.”

“Actually he wasn’t. He was legitimately trying to kill us. Well, kill me, capture him,” Poe answered, nodding toward Ben. 

Finn shook his helmeted head as he turned to continue leading them down the corridor, undoubtedly questioning their sanity. 

“Alright, well he should be just up- ah. There,” he said, pointing toward the cell at the end of the hall, two armed Troopers standing at the ready on either side of the door. 

“Great. You stay here, Finn. Poe, lets go.”

The two of them made their way confidently toward the Troopers, Poe taking the lead. 

“The Captain sent us. We’re here to relieve you two,” he said casually. 

The two Troopers stared at them from behind their masks. Ben could clearly feel their confusion. 

“But Captain Phasma told us we’d be here for an entire shift,” the one on the left replied, radiating suspicion. 

Recovering quickly as usual, Poe tsked and crossed his arms. 

“Listen man, I’m just telling you what I’ve been told,” he said casually. 

“If you’d like to go and ask her yourself, I’m sure she’d be  _ more _ than happy to help set you right,” Ben shrugged, smirking behind his helmet as the Troopers looked to each other with clear anxiety at the mere thought. 

“No, that’s fine. I’m sure it was merely an oversight on her part. Thanks for the relief,” the other Trooper said, moving to allow Ben and Poe to take their place. 

Ben opened his mouth to answer when his com crackled to life, Threepeo’s worried voice sounding from it. 

_ “I’m afraid we’re running rather low on time, Master Ben. The compactor will be setting off in around 20 minutes.” _

All four of them froze as the words echoed along the corridor, Ben cursing under his breath as he pulled out the com. 

“Very bad timing, Threepeo,” he said. 

Before the Troopers could raise their blasters, Ben rushed forward and placed his hands on the faces of their masks, murmuring a command to sleep. Both Troopers dropped to the polished durasteel floor with a loud clatter, like marianettes with their strings cut. 

“You couldn’t have done that sooner?” Poe huffed as they stepped over the Troopers unconscious forms. He shook his head disapprovingly as he went about hiding the bodies while Ben stood before the door. 

Taking in a deep breath he quickly typed in Finn’s code and stepped back as the door of the cell slid open. He walked inside, the door promptly closing behind him, and took in the sight before him. 

Hux was laying on his back on the bench, radiating that same burning pain that made Ben’s skin tingle at the mere memory of it. 

Glassy green eyes snapped open, far too sharp and alert for someone who’d just gone through what had to be an hour of excruciating torture. He rolled onto his side, looking Ben up and down with an unamused expression on his deathly pale face. 

“Aren’t you a little tall for a Stormtrooper?” he rasped, his usually smooth voice gravelly and raw. 

Ben opened his mouth, but found no words coming to him. He simply stared at the haughty General who, even sitting in a cell, hands bound, awaiting execution, was somehow finding the energy to exude his usual polished and important air. 

Hux squinted annoyedly at his silence, sitting up with a grunt and rising. He straightened his posture, shoulders back, head highly donned, eyes filled to the brim with determination as he faced what he believed to be the march to his death with the decorum of a General. 

“Let’s get this over with,” he said, his jaw tense as he stared straight over Ben’s armoured shoulder, his expression almost passive though his intense red-rimmed eyes betrayed his gut clenching fear. 

Wordlessly, Ben turned to open the door, leading Hux into the hall where Poe and Finn waited. The man’s gaze flickered confusedly to the cadet Trooper, but he made no comment, following behind Ben as Poe and Finn fell into step behind him. 

Ben led the procession back the way they’d come, force projecting to anyone nearby the sudden desire to turn and walk the other way, to search for something they’d forgotten. Their path was completely clear. 

With little to no effort, Ben tapped into Hux’s surface thoughts. He was rather surprised to catch a glimpse of the image of that dull grey room he’d seen so long ago; Hux’s childhood bedroom. He pushed further into the image, the memory, as a soft and distant voice reached his ears. An image flickered across Hux’s thoughts; a young red-haired woman with kind sea green eyes reading to him from a tattered hide-bound book with flimsiplast pages.

Ben snapped out of Hux’s thoughts as they reached the final door that separated them from their escape, the warped metal a far more welcoming sight than he thought it ever could be. 

He moved before the panel, pretending to type in a code as he surreptitiously forced the broken door open, the squealing of the metal echoing loudly down the empty corridor. 

Ben moved to step through, freezing as another form blocked his path. 

A cold chill ran down his spin as his gaze locked onto the sadistic grimace of none other than Captain Peavey. The older man was dressed in a pristine dress uniform, numerous medals and ribbons pinned to his chest. Three Troopers stood behind him, armed with blaster rifles. 

“Going somewhere?” the Captain inquired, the Troopers beginning to surround them, though they didn’t yet raise their weapons. 

“Yes Sir. We are taking the Gen- the prisoner to the hangar as instructed,” Ben said, trying his utmost to speak confidently through his mistake. 

Peavey’s beady eyes squinted, his mouth crookening into an unpleasant smirk. 

“To the hangar,” he repeated, his tone almost teasing; this was most certainly a trap. 

From where he was, Hux’s confusion and dread were palpable as he seemed to realise that something was very wrong.

“You must be lost, Trooper” Peavey stated. 

Ben raised his hands as the barrel of Peavey’s blaster thunked against the white plastoid of his helmet, aimed right between his eyes.

“The hangar is the other way.”

The three Troopers raised their own blaster rifles, one trained on Poe, one on Finn, and one on Hux. 

“Kill the intruders and send the child in for reconditioning. I will escort the Traitor to the hangar myself,” he hissed, that twisted smile curling across his wrinkled face. 

Pure terror emanated from Hux as those beady eyes locked onto him from over Ben’s shoulder. 

Heat and adrenaline filled Ben’s body at that and he was moving before he could even register the action. 

Peavey let out a shout as he was sent flying down the corridor, slamming into the metal wall at the very end as his blaster clattered to the floor. Ben swept his arm to the side, one of the Troopers slamming into another before they could fire. Poe charged past him, tackling the third Trooper to the ground, gripping the blaster rifle and slamming the butt of the heavy weapon across their head until they went completely limp like their fellow Troopers.

“What is this?!” Hux demanded, his eyes wide and his face red with absolute bewilderment and shock while, at the end of the hall, Peavey managed to peel himself off of the floor, shouting orders into his com. 

“No time to explain, General,” Ben said, grabbing Hux by the forearm and dragging him forward as the Finalizer’s alarms began to blare deafeningly. 

Hux tried to struggle away, to argue even as the sound of many pairs of boots clicking against the durasteel floor began to get closer and closer. 

Without hesitation, Ben gripped Hux by the shoulders, cutting him off mid sentence to push him backwards through the trash chute. He disappeared through the flap with a yelp. 

Poe went through next, followed by Finn. Just as Troopers began to file into the corridor, Ben dove through himself, rotating in midair to land on his feet, his boots squelching against the three inch thick slimy film of filth coating the ground. Hux struggled to his knees as Poe led Finn toward the shuttle. His eyes were wild as he glanced up at Ben with mounting horror as he finally seemed to recognise who he was looking at. 

Ben pulled the helmet off, tossing it aside and reaching down to help Hux to his feet. The ex-General jerked away from him with a sneer, stumbling slightly on the slippery ground as he rose by himself. 

“You,” he growled, his glassy red-rimmed eyes and his mussed up hair lending an almost feral look as he gazed at Ben with such open contempt. 

“Why have you done this?”

“Hux, get on the shuttle,” Ben said as calmly as he could manage, glancing toward the door of the chamber as the valve locking it began to turn, the shriek of metal echoing in the small space. 

“Why do you refuse to give me an honorable death?” Hux demanded, enraged past reason, his red bitten lips quivering as fresh tear tracks glistened on his puffy cheeks. 

Ben took a step back at the jarring sight, his breath stopping in his throat. His stomach twisted with; what was it? Pity? Shock? Sympathy?

Composed, cold, cruel Armitage Hux, a General of the First Order at only 29; the man who gave the command to wipe out families in the name of order, was standing before him begging for a dignified death. 

Suddenly their past confrontations made so much more sense. The utter confusion and dread in Hux’s eyes after Ben had saved him from the crushing embrace of the Gorgodon, that same look mirrored tenfold on his pale face after Endor. 

Hux had known that each time he was forced to return to his Supreme Leader empty handed, he would suffer terribly for it. Ben had witnessed just how cruel the twisted dark force user could be.

Ben was horrified at the idea that Hux’s fear of the sinister creature had become so great he’d rather die at the hands of Resistance Scum then face the Supreme Leader. 

Without a second thought Ben raised his hand, touching two fingers to Hux’s forehead. The Ex-General fell forward into Ben’s arms, unconscious.

With little effort, he scooped the slighter man up into his arms, carrying him onto the shuttle and laying him across the bench in the back. The ramp of the shuttle retracted, the hatch hissing shut and locking. Threepeo’s worried fretting from the small cockpit was drowned out by the door of the chamber slamming open. A volley of blaster bolts rained down on the small shuttle, Troopers firing on them as they advanced into the chamber to surround them. 

Ben could just barely see Captain Peavey standing behind the squadron in the safety of the doorway, barking orders over the cacophony. 

Poe and Finn both held onto Ben to steady themselves as the shuttle shook under the barrage. 

“Threepeo, I need you to get us moving!” Ben shouted as even more Troopers appeared to hail down shot after shot upon them. Red lights flashed in warning, lighting up the cockpit as the droid’s hands flew over the controls, haphazardly flipping switches and pressing buttons in an utter panic. 

Suddenly a loud metallic groaning sound filled the air, Ben, Poe, and Finn glancing up as the walls of the chamber began to move inward. 

“They activated the trash compactor!” Finn exclaimed, glancing out the viewport with wide terrified eyes. 

“Threepeo!” Ben urged as Poe rushed forward to the copilots seat as the droid babbled nervous apologies. 

Ben let out a string of curses, closing his eyes tightly and visualizing the closing walls. He grunted in effort, forcing his energy outwards in a solid form like two large hands planting on either wall. The metal and inner mechanisms screeched at the pressure, Ben gritting his teeth as he held fast to his control. 

The ship jolted at a particularly strong blast, throwing Finn and Ben to the ground. Ben quickly jumped to his feet, attempting to reestablish his hold on the walls, sweat beading his brow as he focused all of his energy on slowing their progress. 

The wings of the shuttle crunched inward as the walls grew closer and closer despite Ben’s effort. He clenched his teeth, his vocal cords raw as he suddenly registered the strange grunting he’d been hearing was him. 

His eyes snapped open at a familiar presence, fear shooting down his spine like electricity at the sight of a Knight of Ren shoving Captain Peavey aside to step into the chamber, their desperate command echoing loud and clear even over the barrage. 

“Deactivate the trash compactor you fools! We need Solo alive!”

Ben gasped for breath as the walls retracted, falling to his knees in utter exhaustion. Every muscle in his body twitched and shook from over-exertion. He watched in what felt like slow motion as the Knight advanced toward the shuttle, vibro-ax in hand. 

A loud hiss sounded suddenly as the airlock beneath them opened to automatically expel the compacted trash. Captain Peavey had managed to slam the door of the chamber shut, saving himself like the coward he was as the significantly less lucky Stormtroopers flew past the viewport as they were sucked out into open space. The Knight of Ren stood unmoving, boots firmly planted to the filth covered floor. 

Ben, even in his state of utter exhaustion, could clearly feel the Knights rage as they watched the shuttle drift before Threepeo finally managed to get it started, activating the hyperdrive. They were gone in a flash of blue. 

They had done it. 

………

They’d dropped out of warp the moment they were sure they were far enough out of range, Poe and Ben taking the time to strip off their uncomfortable, filth covered Stormtrooper armour. Ben sorely wished they’d taken a ship with a fresher of some sort. He couldn’t imagine he smelled alright after that ordeal. 

He sighed heavily as he sat on the bench protruding from the wall of the shuttle, directly across from General Hux. They’d removed his restraints to allow him to rest more comfortably, despite Threepeo’s objections. 

He regarded the unconscious man, his enemy, the one he had now saved the life of three different times. This close, he could see that his eyelashes were quite long, though difficult to see as they were a golden red colour. His skin was paler than ever and there were pronounced dark circles under his eyes as if he hadn’t slept in weeks. 

Perhaps he hadn’t. From what he’d seen, his Supreme Leader had him running himself ragged trying to capture Ben. Under all that pressure along with the additional duties that came with running an army, he probably hadn’t had the time to rest.

His lack of sleep would most definitely explain his reluctance to be rescued. He somehow seemed more terrified of being taken to the safety of the Resistance than facing public execution at the hands of his own people. 

Hux flinched in his sleep and Ben felt an odd sort of sense of concern, reaching down slowly to place his hand on his damp forehead. 

Hux’s eyes snapped open and he was moving in an instant. Ben shot up to halt his progress but stumbled back as a hard kick landed square in his chest. Hux jumped surprisingly sprily to his feet, extending his arm, a hidden monomolecular blade shooting out of his sleeve into his waiting grip. 

He lashed out, Ben retreating further in his surprise as the Ex-General advanced with aggression that was so thoroughly unexpected from a man in his position. He looked rabid, the whites of his eyes filled with stark red veins lending him an almost psychotic appearance. He bared his teeth in satisfaction when his blade hit its mark, Ben yelping as it sliced into his still healing side. 

He let out another choked out yell as Hux twisted the blade and yanked it out. Finally managing to process the situation, he held up his hands. Hux growled as he was stopped mid swing, his blade inches from Ben’s chest just over his wildly beating heart.

“Ben!” Poe exclaimed as he raced to the back of the shuttle, followed closely by Finn. He approached without hesitation, grabbing Hux’s arms and pulling them behind his back as Ben dropped his force hold on him. Finn managed to wrench the bloody knife from the Ex-General’s bloodstained hand, stepping back to set it aside. 

“What happened to you?” Ben breathed out, unable to take his eyes off of the man as he fixed him with a poisonous glare.

“What happened to me?” Hux repeated in barely more than a whisper, his jaw clenched so tightly Ben was sure he’d crack a tooth. 

“You kidnapped me, you fasking imbecile!”

“Kidnapped?” Poe scoffed from behind him. “Buddy, we just saved your life!”

“Like hell you did!” Hux snapped, jerking in Poe’s hold. 

Poe stumbled but managed to steady himself, tightening his grip on the Ex-Generals arms. 

Ben opened his mouth to argue back, his words dying on his tongue as a loud beeping sounded from the cockpit at the same time as the scraping of metal on the outside of the ship. They barely had time to prepare when the left side of the ship suddenly dipped, sending them all crashing into the wall. 

“Master Solo, we appear to have sustained more damage from the trash compactor than I’d previously been aware of. We’ve lost a wing!” Threepeo called from the cockpit, whirring with his characteristic anxiety.

“We’re being pulled into orbit! We’re going to crash!”

………

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! My hyper-fixation is thankfully back so I’m going to try and bang out a few chapters while it lasts!
> 
> If you leave a comment it’ll make me happy ✌️ I don’t always reply but I read them all.
> 
> Thank you to those who have been commenting! I’ll be honest, the affirmation fuels me.
> 
> ~Cynical


	9. Wonder If Better Now Having Survived

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~Chapter Vibes~
> 
> https://youtu.be/6mUDEBjFgm4
> 
> ⭐️TRIGGER WARNING⭐️  
This chapter contains some minor graphic violence. Please read with caution. Stay mentally healthy, babes <3

_ ~ _

_ “Armitage?” a soft voice called.  _

_ The young red haired boy held back a giggle, peeking out from under the table he hid beneath as a woman approached.  _

_ “Where could he be?” she said in an exaggeratedly questioning tone, her Arkanisian lilt pleasant to his ears, an accent his father had been determined to banish from his speech patterns.  _

_ The young boy squealed in delight as the woman snatched him out from under the table, lifting him high into the air before dipping him low in her arms and smothering his freckled face in kisses. His little hands reached out, playing with the locks of long red hair splayed about her face like curtains as she lay her forehead lovingly against his.  _

_ “Meerah,” a cold voice broke through the atmosphere of warmth and joy. The woman glanced up, her warm smile disappearing as her sea green eyes met the cold blue of the man who had entered the room. She gently set Armitage down, straightening herself up to face Brendol Hux.  _

_ Armitage felt the urge to hide as his father stared down at him, displeasure thinning his lips into a frown.  _

_ “Meerah, I’ll not have my son running about the place screeching like a Varactyl. He’s entering into the academy in a mere month. He must learn to behave.” _

_ “Master Hux, he’s only a boy. He should be able to play like one,” the woman responded meekly, eyes downcast.  _

_ “I allow you to visit the boy out of nothing more than kindness. You well know Maratelle would rather not have you around influencing him, and I myself am beginning to agree with her.” _

_ “Please, Sir. I-“ _

_ Tears sprung to Armitage’s eyes as the back of his father’s hand connected with the woman’s face. She stumbled at the smack, catching herself on the table and holding a hand to her reddened cheek as Brendol turned toward his son.  _

_ “Come along, Armitage” he growled, gripping Armitage’s tiny forearm tightly and dragging him away. He resisted with all his might, tears pouring down his cheeks as he called out for the woman, her own green eyes glazing over with unshed tears as she watched him go.  _

_ He reached out his hand for her, desperate for the safety of her presence, for the kindness of her smile.  _

_ ~ _

Hux awoke with a gasp, his eyes having trouble focusing on his surroundings. His head ached terribly, worsening considerably as he pushed himself up into a seated position to properly take in where he was. 

His memory came flooding back to him as his blurry gaze focused on the familiar figure of Ben Solo standing in the centre of the shuttle, his arms outstretched and his fingers splayed. The electric presence of the force crackled in the air, making the hairs on the back of Hux’s neck stand on end. 

“Did you… did you stop us from crashing?” he questioned blearily. 

Solo glanced down to him, lowering his arms as the other occupants of the shuttle groaned and stirred to waking. 

Hux braced himself on the bench beside him, pulling himself to his unsteady feet. He barely registered the warmth of blood trailing down his temple as he took in the sight that met him through the viewport. A darkened desert stretched on as far as the eye could see, black spires of rock spiking up from the radioactive purple sand to form jagged cliff faces curving around the valley. 

“Parnassos.”

“What did he say?” the shorter man with the brown leather jacket groaned toward Solo as he helped the young cadet Trooper to his feet. 

“We’re on Parnassos,” Hux reiterated, turning back toward the others. 

The short dark haired man scoffed. 

“How do you know?” he said incredulously, rubbing at his jaw where a bruise, most likely from their collision with the wall of the shuttle, was already blooming. 

“Because I’ve been here before,” Hux snapped back, his head hurting far too much to roll his eyes. He figured if he tried to he may keel over then and there. 

“He is correct, Master Dameron” the gold plated droid piped up from the cockpit, circuits whirring as it rose from the pilots seat, mostly unharmed aside from one missing arm. 

“This is indeed Parnassos, a former mining colony devastated by nuclear holocaust.”

“Of course this is where we’d crash land. Kriff! Can’t we ever just get lucky and crash land onto a nice tropical planet?” Dameron griped, pushing past Hux to enter the cockpit. 

“We were lucky to survive the crash at all,” Hux said pointedly as Dameron tossed a stuffed dufflebag onto the ground beside him. 

“Oh, so now you’re happy to be alive?” the shorter man jabbed. Hux glared in answer, resolving to ignore him and instead approach Solo and the Cadet Trooper. 

“We need to catalogue the damage done to the vessel and see if it’s salvageable. I suggest you and I take a look while the others stay here.”

“I’m sorry, do you suddenly think you’re the one in charge here?” Dameron called, dragging the dufflebag into the back of the shuttle. 

“Poe,” Solo cautioned, giving the other man a meaningful look. Dameron sighed heavily and grumbled insults under his breath, but otherwise stayed silent as he fished through the bag of supplies. 

“You said you’ve been here once before. What do you know about this planet,” Solo inquired patiently, sitting at Dameron’s beckoning and removing his vest. Hux watched as the shorter man approached and pulled up Solo’s black shirt just enough to reveal his slashed bandage wrapped stomach, blood spreading alarmingly fast, staining the off-white fabric a deep dark red. 

“I last came here 12 years ago. The planet’s surface is desolate, mostly flooded and highly radioactive. Thankfully, we seem to have landed in one of the few areas not overtaken by the ocean. From what I can figure, we’re currently in the Dead Lands.”

“The dead lands?” the cadet Trooper spoke up from beside the droid. 

“Well that sounds fun and welcoming,” Dameron grumbled as he cleaned and re-wrapped Solo’s wound tightly. “And who will we have the pleasure of running into in these dead lands?”

“We shouldn’t run into anyone in this particular area. When last I was here, both clans that ruled this land were destroyed. There were no survivors that I’m aware of.”

“So, your proposed plan is to go out there and check out the ship to see if the damage is repairable. What then?” Solo asked, fixing his shirt and nodding to Dameron in thanks. 

“There is an outpost nearby; Calliope Station. To my knowledge there was a partially stocked medbay located there as well as plenty of scavenged ship parts. We shouldn’t succumb to radiation poisoning as long as we’re quick.”

“Then I guess we’d better hurry,” Dameron sighed, pulling two blasters out of the bag, tossing one to Solo. 

“I’d suggest you stay here with,” Hux paused, looking to the serial number scrawled across the badge on the Cadet Trooper’s uniform shirt. “FN-2187.”

“His  _ name _ is Finn,” Dameron corrected surprisingly protectively with a deep frown. “And why should we listen to you?”

“Well, if there are indeed survivors remaining, the people of this planet are known to value children greatly as they have very few of their own, so they’d most likely try to take  _ Finn _ as well as your droid, and leave you for dead. Unless you’d like to risk that, I’d suggest you listen to me.”

The shorter man looked as if he wanted to continue to argue, but his gaze softened as he glanced toward the Cadet Trooper. 

“Fine. We’ll stay, you two go. Take a com with you,” he acquiesced. 

Ben rose from the bench, holstering his blaster. He held out his arm, waiting only a second before the long hilt of his lightsaber flew from inside the bag into his waiting hand. He broke the two halves apart, attaching one at his hip and the other at the small of his back, hidden beneath his shirt. 

Hux reached out and plucked up his own discarded knife, the blade still dripping blood. He wiped it clean on his already ruined jodhpurs, cringing nonetheless, before pushing up his sleeve to re-sheath the blade. 

“Ready?” Solo called as he stood before the hatch. Hux nodded with a frown. He had no time to think on the implications of his situation. He was in pure survival mode. Though he would like nothing more than to tear apart each and every being in that shuttle, he knew he needed their help for the moment, so he would be patient and play as nice as he was able. 

The small ramp descended, exposing them to the already intense heat of the planet. They walked down quickly, allowing it to close behind them with a hiss. 

“It’s dark out here for morning,” Solo commented, covering his nose and mouth and coughing at the acrid air that engulfed them. Hux ignored him, focusing on looking over the shuttle. The outward damage looked surprisingly sparse, the only notable thing being the missing wing. 

“Entirely repairable,” he murmured, raising his own arm to shield his nose and mouth as a gust of wind kicked up the purple sand. “The Station lies to the east. I suggest we start walking now.”

………

Hux felt as if they’d been walking for ages, though he knew logically it had only been one hour at the most. His many layers of black were suffocating in the scorching heat of the radioactive desert, sweat pouring down the small of his back as he trudged along. 

His thoughts turned bitter as he glanced toward Solo who seemed almost unaffected by the extreme conditions aside from the sheen of sweat on his forehead. He’d pulled his thick black locks into a haphazard bun a few minutes into their journey, using the bottom of his thin black shirt to cover his face. 

Hux’s eyes were drawn downward toward his bandaged midsection more than once. He supposed he was fortunate he’d been restrained. If he’d killed Solo when he’d intended to, he was sure he would’ve died in the crash. And what a way to go that would’ve been. 

“Do you happen to know how much further away the station is?” Solo asked hoarsely. 

“We should be there any moment,” Hux replied shortly, his irritation increasing at merely hearing the other man’s voice. 

Solo had the gaul to scoff at his answer, moving in front of him to block his path. 

“You said that a mile back. Do you actually know where you’re going?”

Hux’s brows knit together in aggravation as he was forced to stop, eyes narrowing as they met Solo’s in a heated glare. 

“Do you doubt my competence?” Hux challenged venomously, leaning into the slightly taller man’s space with a sneer. 

“No, I doubt your sanity,” Solo rebuked, wiping stinging purple sand from his cheek as the wind picked up around them. “For all I know, you could be leading me out to the middle of nowhere to try and kill me again in some misguided attempt to regain your honour!”

Hux’s face heated as he clenched his jaw in anger, his hands balling into fists at his sides. 

“If you’re unsure of my motives why don’t you just take a peek at my thoughts? I know how much you seem to enjoy invading my mind!”

Solo’s heated reply was cut off by the sound of whooping and howling in the distance. The two glanced around, searching frantically for the origin of the noise as it neared. If it was an animal, there were many closing in around them. 

Two loud pops sounded over the din, Ben and Hux having little to no time to react as they were suddenly covered by a weighted net that knocked them back into the burning sand. 

Hux struggled against the heavy metal cording, attempting to untangle his hands and legs with very little success. He stilled at a hand on his shoulder. 

_ “Stop moving. Just wait.” _

Hux forced himself to relax as Ben’s words echoed in his mind. He watched as the backlit outline of a humanoid male dressed in purple stained rags approached them, holding a particularly nasty looking spear crafted from scrap metal and bones. 

He grunted as he looked them over, motioning to the other men who immediately approached, dragged them to their feet, and removed the net. Hux grimaced as he allowed the sand coated locals to bind his hands behind his back with rope of the same corded metal of the net, looking across the expansive group, trying to count just how many surrounded them. There had to be more than twenty creatures of vastly different species, mostly human but also a few Rodians, a Gand, and Dug or two. He glanced toward Ben, the man looking somehow relaxed as his own hands were bound by a particularly mean looking Rodian. 

Hux grunted as the backs of his knees were kicked, forcing him to the sand. The rough voice of the Rodian broke the silence.

“Kneel, scum. You stand before the immaculate leader of the Claw, Dug Hanna.”

The large middle aged man with the metal and bone staff, Dug Hanna, looked them over with a discerning gaze, a frown wrinkling his sunbaked, purple tinted face. 

“Where have you come from?” he questioned in a deep timber, his accent almost the typical Imperial dialect, but warped and strange after so many generations of separation from outsiders.

Hux and Ben stayed resolutely silent, both refusing to so much as glance upward. 

A scaled hand gripped the back of Hux’s collar, bodily lifting him off of the ground as if he weighed nothing. 

“You will speak, cur,” the Rodian local spat, shaking him like an unruly cat. 

Dug Hanna raised a large hand, the shaking ceasing immediately at the motion. The Rodian holding Hux up bowed their head respectfully, dropping him back down to his knees. 

The apparent leader approached Ben, lifting the bottom of his staff to his chin to try to get him to look up, though he resisted. The locals murmured in disbelief at his insolence, one of them gripping Ben by the hair and yanking his head back to finally give their leader a better look at him. 

“Hm. This one is young and strong. He could perhaps be a worthy candidate,” Dug Hanna stated appraisingly, reaching down to take hold of Ben’s jaw to turn his head side to side. 

The surrounding clan members let out an assortment of excited exclamations at that, some resuming the howling sound from earlier that was evidently some sort of war-whoop. 

The leader moved on from Ben to look over Hux. The Ex-General scowled as the man’s grubby fingers tangled in his hair, pulling. 

“Only once before have I seen hair the colour of fire, but never this bright. This one is weaker, but still valuable,” he stated sagely, leaning down to look Hux directly in the face. “Very valuable. Take them both.”

At those words, Ben burst into action, rising and jumping over his own bound arms so his hands were in front of him, removing his saber from his belt. The blue blade crackled to life, Ben spinning fluidly and cutting a nearby Gand clean in half. 

The other locals began to screech like beasts, wielding their own crude weapons and charging at the force user. 

Hux rolled out of the way as one of the Dugs was sent hurtling past him, slamming into a jutting black rock and falling limp.

Ben whirled around and swung his blue lightsaber with a grace that never ceased to impress Hux. His movements were almost too fast for his eyes to register as he sent his opponents flying just like he had on Ilum. 

“What are you doing? Take him down you fools!” Dug Hanna commanded, hoisting his spear as another wave of warriors attacked. Two of the men jumped onto Solo’s back, the man just barely stumbling under the weight. He struggled as one managed to trap him in a choke hold, swiftly flipping his attacker over his shoulder and dispatching him with a downward strike. 

Hux’s eyes widened as he spotted a man sneaking up behind the force user as he was focused on fending off three others. 

“Look out!” he tried to shout in warning, not quickly enough as the man struck Solo over the head with a quarterstaff tipped with a jagged black rock. Hux watched in open mouthed horror as Solo dropped into the purple sand like a stone, unconscious. 

One of the men scooped up his deactivated lightsaber, bowing in deference and handing it to Dug Hanna who took it with a look of interest. 

“He’s a powerful one. He will most definitely make for an entertaining opponent.”

Hux tried not to shrink back as the leader turned to him and nodded. He couldn’t quite hold back a yelp as something blunt struck the back of his head, his world growing dark. 

………

For the third time in quick succession, Hux stirred awake from unconsciousness, very quickly growing tired of the recurring sensation. He blinked rapidly, his eyes struggling to focus in the darkness as a wave of nausea washed over him. If he hadn’t had a concussion before, he was certain he did now. 

He took stock of his surroundings as best as he could, blindly feeling around. The floor and walls were solid rock as if the small room he found himself in had been carved into the side of a mountain. From what he could tell, they were in a small cell blocked off by a solid door of a material Hux didn’t immediately recognise. 

Scant light shone through a small barred hole in the door, setting everything in an eerie purple glow that Hux’s eyes found very difficult to adjust to. 

He realised his uniform jacket had been torn open to reveal his sweat soaked black undershirt, most likely in their capture’s search for weapons. He let out an exhale of relief as he recognised the familiar weight of his monomolecular blade still strapped to his arm. At least they hadn’t found that. 

A groan sounded next to him, echoing in the dark space. Hux’s clouded mind went into full panic mode before he remembered who the voice belonged to. 

Ben pushed himself up into a seated position, pressing the heel of his palm against his forehead with a moan of pain. His belt and holster had been removed, his lightsaber nowhere to be seen. 

“Shit,” he whispered, glancing toward Hux, his face scrunched up as he tried to make sense of his surroundings. 

“We’ve been captured by one of the clans; the Claw. They’ve taken our weapons and locked us inside this cell. I’m not sure how long we’ve been here,” Hux stated, his throat dry and scratchy as he spoke. 

“No survivors, huh?” Ben grunted out, rubbing a hand through his hair, his fingers halting at the tie. With a sigh of frustration he loosened his hair, black locks falling to his shoulders. He reached behind himself, muttering a string of curses in a language Hux had never heard. 

“They took both of my sabers,” he said, his low voice rumbling. 

“Can’t you just blast down the door with your… force powers?” Hux questioned bluntly, watching as Ben rose on unsteady feet, approaching the aforementioned door to look it over. 

“Not if we don’t want to be buried in a rockslide,” he answered, making his way to the back wall of the small cell and sliding down into a seated position. 

“Then what the kriff is your ridiculous magic for?” Hux huffed as Ben crossed his legs, placing the backs of his hands on his knees and closing his eyes. 

“What are you doing?” he demanded wearily. 

Ben didn’t answer, remaining completely still. 

Hux’s brow knit together in annoyance. He pushed himself to his feet carefully, walking toward the other man and glowering down at him. 

“We need to be thinking of a way to escape.”

“I’m meditating,” Ben said calmly, not moving or opening his eyes. 

Hux’s face scrunched up in a mix of incredulity and aggravation as he stared down at the other man. 

“Has the concussion scrambled your brain, provided you had one in the first place? This is no time for… for that nonsense!”

“Hux, shut up.”

The Ex-General’s eyes narrowed in an angry squint, his face heating at those dismissive words. He turned his back on the infuriating force user, walking to sit on the other side of the cell with a huff. 

Silence stretched on between them for a long while, Ben not moving a muscle the entire time, though his eyes flitted back and forth restlessly behind his eyelids. 

Hux attempted to come up with a plan, but found his brain too foggy to properly think. He tried not to dwell on the terrifying notion of possible lasting brain damage from the multiple head wounds he’d received that day, letting his thoughts drift back to his dream from earlier. 

The image of the familiar face of the kind kitchen woman under his father’s employ flashed back into his mind. Her pale skin, the dusting of freckles across her nose and cheeks, her green eyes that perfectly mirrored his own, framed with dark golden lashes, her long red hair that always smelled of freshly picked flowers; he’d somehow always known she was his mother, though his father tried his utmost to hide that from him. 

He recalled the Arkanisian lullaby she would sing to him when she was sure his father wouldn’t hear, the melody soft and sweet in her pleasant lilting tone. 

She had been so different to the woman he had been told to call mother. Meerah had been sweet and kind like springtime while Maratelle Hux had been bitter and cold like winter. Maratelle had never held him, had never comforted him during a particularly frightening thunderstorm, had never told him she loved him. She didn’t even look at him, hating the constant reminder he was that her husband was unfaithful. 

His dream had been a vivid memory he hadn’t thought about in years; the last time he’d seen his real mother. The very next day had been the day when the Rebels had invaded Arkanis, taking prisoner anyone who was faithful to the Empire. 

He remembered how his father had pulled him into the waiting ship of the Bounty Hunter sent to retrieve them. 

_ “Armitage, stop that sniveling this instant. Do you know what the Rebellion will do if they hear us?” _ his father had asked, his hands firm on Hux’s small shoulders as the terrified child shook his head side to side, wiping away tears and snot. 

_ “If they find us, we will be tortured for information. They will execute me, but they’ll keep you; try to morph you into one of them. Do you want that, boy?” _

Hux considered being put on that ship and allowed to escape the clutches of the Rebellion the only good thing his father had ever done for him. 

“Ok, I’m finished,” Solo’s voice called out, breaking him from his grim thoughts. His gaze flickered upward as the other man stretched his arms out over his head, several pops sounding as his back arched.

“And what exactly have you finished doing?” Hux inquired blandly, crossing his arms and leaning back against the wall. 

“I’ve been communicating with my mother,” he replied as if that answer was the most natural thing in the galaxy, continuing to methodically stretch out his long limbs. 

“Communicating… how?” Hux said slowly, squinting at the other man unsurely, the ever present throbbing in his temples escalating with his aggravation. 

Solo huffed, seemingly annoyed at Hux’s apparent ignorance. 

“You asked what the force was for. I’ve contacted my mother through our connection,” he responded far too casually for Hux’s liking. 

The Ex-General’s frown deepened as he considered the force user before him with a look of incredulity. 

“So not only can you stop blaster bolts and invade minds with your ridiculous sorcery, but you’re also a human comlink. Phenomenal. And how does this help our situation?”

“Maybe your concussion is worse than we thought,” Solo quipped, crossing his arms tightly. 

“Because of my  _ ridiculous sorcery _ , my mother now knows where we are. She’s sending a ship to retrieve us. All we need to do is escape from wherever these men have taken us and we’ll be home safe in no time.”

Bile rose in Hux’s throat at that, his pulse spiking as panic overtook him. He’d been avoiding thinking on what would happen should they manage to escape. He found himself unable to stop his body from shaking as blood and adrenaline began to pump through him. 

“Home safe?” he whispered, his voice quivering as a cold sweat broke out across his forehead. He pushed himself to his feet, beginning to pace. 

“Hux?” Ben said, his previously sarcastic tone immediately filled with such honest concern it made Hux’s stomach turn. “What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong? What’s wrong?!” he repeated, his voice growing louder in his building panic. From where he stood, everything was wrong. In a shockingly small amount of time, he’d gone from a well respected General of the First Order to a traitor in a cell on his own ship, to a prisoner of the savage locals of Parnassos. And now he faced the very real prospect of going directly from this cell to another far worse one. 

Suddenly something in him snapped, his panic manifesting as rage. 

“You,” he started, his voice raw as he turned on the other man, glowering venomously. 

“You single handedly ruined my military career, something I put my blood, sweat, and tears into. I worked tirelessly with no breaks, no gratitude, no assistance, to get to where I was; to prove to those in my life who doubted me that they were wrong. I rose in the ranks, passing by my past abusers and replacing my own  _ father _ to become the youngest General in the history of the Empire. 

“I was respected, listened to, and you waltzed in with your  _ ridiculous _ force magic and ruined it all in less than two kriffing weeks! You took everything away from me! Everything! And now you're dragging me off to your Resistance Base like a Nerf for slaughter, all while proclaiming yourself my savior!”

Ben blinked in momentary shock at his outburst before quickly recovering and rising from the ground, holding up his hands. 

“Hux, calm down. We don’t want to attract any attention,” he tried to reason, but Hux was hearing none of it, storming over to him and shoving him bodily by the chest. 

“How dare you tell me to calm down when you’ve singlehandedly turned me into a traitor in the eyes of my own army!”

“Hey,” Ben exclaimed, his voice raising as he pointed a finger in Hux’s face. “I put my ass on the line for you. I didn’t have to fly across the fasking galaxy to save you from execution, but I did! I saved your life, Hux!”

Hux smacked his hand away and sneered, letting out a humourless laugh that sounded almost painful. 

“You did nothing of the sort. You merely prolonged my death.”

“So you’d really rather die than go to the Resistance?”

Hux snorted derisively.

“Any day. My loyalty is to the First Order.”

“It shouldn’t be!” Ben scoffed, shaking his head in frustration as his voice grew louder. “The First Order betrayed you!”

“No. You’re wrong-“ Hux started, Ben cutting him off as he advanced, leaning in far too close for comfort. 

“You failed them one too many times, so they took your plans for your monstrous weapon and they tossed you aside! You were replaceable to them and you know it. You can fool yourself, but you can’t fool me.”

Hux’s expression shifted to a positively venomous glare, the only warning he gave before slamming a fist into the side of Ben’s face.

Ben stumbled back a few steps, Hux giving him no time to recover as he landed another hard punch to his gut, knocking the air out of him. He ducked a third swing, grabbing onto Hux’s wrist, turning and using the momentum to throw him over his shoulder. 

Hux rolled onto his side, ignoring the pain of the collision with the floor, springing up quickly and charging with complete abandon. Ben blocked a strike toward his neck, landing a hard punch across Hux’s jaw. Hux lunged forward and grabbed a fistful of long black hair, yanking hard enough to offset Ben’s balance. 

He grunted in surprise as the force user managed to grab his shoulders, turning his body as he fell and slamming Hux’s back into the wall, rattling his already bruised brain inside his skull. They both fell to the ground, moaning in pain at the connection with solid rock.

“Hux! Get a hold of yourself. Hey!” Ben shouted, managing to pin down his arms and legs like some sort of fanciful Felucian insect on display.

“Get off of me!” Hux growled, struggling weakly against the other man’s solid hold.

His fiery rage died down slowly as the lightheadedness of his concussion reasserted itself, his vision growing blurry. He finally ceased his struggling, leaning his head back against the wall and closing his eyes to try and stop the room from spinning. 

The two of them sat in silence for a while, the only sound in the small cell their synchronized labored breathing. 

Very slowly and cautiously, Ben removed his hands from Hux’s wrists, sitting back on his haunches to give the other man some space. 

“Are you ok?” he asked, the softness of his deep voice affecting Hux in a way he couldn’t put into words. 

“Why do you care?” Hux croaked, his entire body aching now that the adrenaline had worn off. 

“Because you’re very clearly concussed and hysterical-“

“No. Why do you care?” Hux repeated, biting the insides of his cheeks as he considered his next words carefully. 

“You’ve had so many opportunities to rid yourself of me, and yet you’ve chosen to save me every single time. I’ve tortured you, shot you, stabbed you, now physically attacked you, yet you’re still asking me if I’m ok; allowing me to live despite what I’ve done? Why?”

Hux opened his eyes to catch a glimpse of Solo’s face. The other man stared back at him, large brown eyes wide and mouth hanging open, though no words seemed to be coming to him immediately. 

“I… don’t know,” he finally admitted, separating himself fully from Hux to sit before him, hugging his knees to his chest. 

“I just… when I saw you being attacked by that Gorgodon on Ilum, I couldn’t turn my back on you no matter how hard I tried. Something, some voice in my head, told me to go back for you, and I listened. And on Endor I didn’t even think about it. I sensed the shot before it fired and threw you out of its path before I’d even registered moving.”

Hux leaned forward, pressing the heels of his palms over his eyes in an attempt to quell his splitting headache. 

“Hux, why are you so angry we rescued you?” Ben asked. 

“… Because,” Hux sighed after a long moment of thought, running his hands through his hair, his fingers catching on the old dried pomade he hadn’t been able to wash out. 

“When I was to be executed for a crime I was framed for, my one comfort was that I knew I was innocent. I knew I wasn’t a traitor. But now… being here with you… you’ve made me a traitor.”

Hux shook his head, trying to swallow the lump forming in his throat. 

“And there's the added bonus that after twenty five years of avoiding capture by the Rebellion and then the Resistance, here I am just sitting and waiting for them to come and get me.”

“And you’d rather die by the hands of the First Order then rot in a Resistance cell,” Ben reiterated his own statement from earlier, Hux nodding in solemn agreement. 

Another long bout of silence hung between them, the air thick with it. 

“I… understand your fear,” Ben finally spoke, moving to sit against the wall beside Hux. 

“But the Resistance won't hurt you. Whatever you’ve been told about our methods of dealing with prisoners, just know that’s not how it truly is.”

“How can I possibly trust what you say,” Hux scoffed, looking away from Solo’s meaningful gaze. 

“Let’s put it this way; do you honestly think I would’ve gone to such lengths to rescue you and keep you alive if I just intended to have you tortured or killed?”

His words gave Hux pause, his prepared argument dying on his tongue. 

Before he could even release the breath he was holding, the door to their cell slammed open, the sound jarringly loud in the previous silence Four large humanoid men armed with an assortment of crude weapons entered and advanced toward them with no hesitation. 

Two of them dragged Ben backward as the other two grabbed Hux, yanking him to his feet like a ragdoll and forcing his arms behind his back despite his struggles. 

He kicked and squirmed, but it was all for naught as they managed to bind his hands tightly. 

The other two tried to wrestle Ben to the ground, one of them going flying into the opposite wall at a twitch of his jaw. One of the men holding Hux ran to help the others as they forced Ben to his knees, dragging his hands behind his back. One held his wrists tightly together, another grabbing him by the hair and yanking his head back to expose his neck as the third one approached with a needle. 

“To make sure this stays fair,” the man hissed in the struggling force users ear, looking far too gleeful. 

Hux flinched as the needle sunk into the side of Ben’s neck, a thick purple liquid entering his veins, webbing out eerily from the ejection point. 

Immediately the force users body slumped forward, held up almost entirely by his captures. His eyelids drooped, his previous fighting energy completely sapped from his body. Hux felt sick at the sight of the other man, suddenly so weak and helpless. Ben Solo wasn’t meant to be helpless. 

“Lets go. Bring the skinny one,” one of the men instructed. 

Hux tried to resist as he and Ben were taken out of the dark cell, squinting against the brighter light as they emerged into what he supposed passed for daylight on Parnassos. 

They were half walked half dragged through the small encampment, strangely dressed humans and aliens alike covered from head to toe in purple dust watching them, following behind them in an odd sort of procession. 

The unnerving howling and whooping from earlier slowly began again as they were walked along the long plateau that served as Claw Territory, toward a large pit dug several feet deep into the ground with a gigantic metal door in the side. Hux blanched as he realised it was a rough rendition of an arena. 

All at once he recalled the Claw leader’s words from earlier:

_ “He’s a powerful one. He will most definitely make for an entertaining opponent.” _

This was to be a gladiatorial match. 

Hux glanced toward Ben, his stomach sinking at the sight of him. His eyes were unfocused and confused as they took in their surroundings, his feet dragging along the ground as the Claw men lugged him toward the makeshift throne upon which the leader of the Claw sat. 

“Ben!” he called out, fighting against his captures grip as he tried to get the other man’s attention. 

The man holding Hux grunted in displeasure at his squirming, grabbing him by the back of the neck and shoving him forward. He winced as he landed hard on his knees before the throne, Ben slumping down beside him. He didn’t seem to need help keeping himself upright any longer, though he still swayed ever so slightly. 

“Ah, here he is. Our new challenger,” Dug Hanna stated with a sadistic grin as he leaned down to grip Ben’s chin, the surrounding members of the clan cheering loudly. 

“You’re a strong warrior, boy. You proved yourself in the Dead Lands. Now we shall see if you can hold your own against our reigning champion.”

Dug Hanna clicked his tongue, Hux watching wide eyed as the two men hoisted Ben up and bodily shoved him into the pit. He rolled down the steep slope, grunting as he hit the ground in a cloud of purple dust. He struggled to stand, finally managing to pull himself to his unsteady feet. His eyes met Hux’s just as the Chieftain leaned down and grabbed the Ex-General’s jaw, turning his head to face him. 

“Fire-Haired one, you will sit beside me and enjoy the show,” the man said with a smile that turned Hux’s stomach, his wrinkled purple tinted face far too close for comfort. Hux pulled away with a grimace of disgust, but the older man merely chuckled as if amused, clicking his tongue at a guard who gripped Hux’s arm and dragged him to sit beside the throne at the older man’s feet. 

“My people!” Dug Hanna called as he rose from the stone carved throne. The huge crowd quietened to listen to their chieftains words. 

“This is a most exciting day. At last we have a worthy challenger for our champion, Olu!”

The whooping resumed at the mention of that name. A loud chant filled the air as the large door inside the arena began to raise. 

“So,” Dug Hanna aimed toward Hux, a smug smile stretched across his sun baked face. 

“Do you think your warrior will measure up to my champion?”

Hux turned up his nose at the older man, fixing him with a challenging sneer. 

“For as long as I’ve known him, I have never seen him lose a fight. You’ll need a  _ new _ champion when he’s through with them,” Hux spat, staring directly back into the Chieftains eyes with absolute confidence. 

Dug Hanna chuckled at his words, turning back toward the arena with a wave of a dismissive hand. The cheering and howling began to build up once more, Hux’s eyes snapping back toward the rising door as it came to a stop. 

All of the blood rushed from Hux’s face as a roar filled the air, completely drowning out the surrounding din. Heavy footsteps shook the ground and his mouth dropped open at the sight of the creature that emerged from the shadowy doorway. 

Phasma had never told him Parnassos had Rancors. 

The enormous monster let out another bloodcurdling roar, its toothed maw opening wide. Hux gulped as the beast caught sight of Ben, it’s heavy feet sending clouds of purple dust into the air as it lumbered toward him. 

Ben dove out of the way of a swipe from those massive claws, rolling over his shoulder and stumbling to his feet. The effects of the drug seemed to be slowing him down, but he was still considerably stronger and faster then the average being, a thought which both annoyed and impressed Hux greatly. 

The Rancor turned with a growl, seemingly displeased with its meals unwillingness to remain still. It lunged toward Ben once again, the dazed force user ducking through the beasts legs. With his running start, he leapt up toward the ledge of the pit, shouting in pain as his hand met some sort of electrical field surrounding the arena. 

Dug Hanna let out a belly laugh as Ben slid back down the steep slope, clutching his burnt hand against his chest. 

“No one leaves, foolish boy. You kill or be killed.”

Hux’s nose and brow wrinkled in disgust as the leaders grubby hand landed on the back of his neck, rough fingers stroking through his hair as if he was some kind of pet. He held back a gasp at the sight of Ben’s lightsabers attached to the Claw Leaders belt, surrounded by numerous other trinkets that clinked against the metal hilts as he cheered on the Rancor. 

Thinking quickly, he leaned back into the touch, the purple tinted man humming a pleased sound at his apparent docility. With the other man distracted, Hux shrugged his arm to loose his monomolecular blade from its sheath. He caught the blade carefully, moving it to rest between his palms to begin cutting through the corded rope binding his wrists. 

He worked as quickly as he could, his eyes not leaving the arena as Ben continued to dodge the Rancor’s attacks. The hand resting on the back of his head dipped further down along the back of his neck, under the collar of his uniform jacket. He cringed at the feeling. 

He had managed to cut through the rope just as the Rancor had cornered Ben, the man’s eyes flitting around to try and find some way to escape. The crowd howled and cheered as the beast slashed at the force user, Ben not quite managing to evade the strike. He winced as the material of his shirt fell open to reveal his bandaged midsection, angry red slashes appearing on his previously smooth chest. The Rancor roared as it wrapped its claws around the force user, lifting him into the air. Ben struggled in the beasts hold to little effect as the monster brought him in closer and closer. 

Taking his chance, Hux struck out with his blade, slashing through the leg of the guard standing beside him. The man screamed in pain, dropping into the sand as blood poured from the wound. Hux jumped to his feet, wrenching one of the lightsaber hilts off of Dug Hanna’s belt as the guards nearby raced toward him. 

“Ben!” he yelled, those brown eyes meeting his as he reeled back and threw the saber just as the guards reached him. 

He watched with wide eyes as the metal hilt flew through the air as if in slow motion, every single being tracking it with bated breath. Just as Ben had reached the Rancor’s monstrous face, the hilt connected with his palm as if it knew it belonged there, the green blade activating and cutting through the roof of the Rancor’s mouth. 

The creature shrieked in pain as it dropped Ben; the force user sunk the crackling blade into its throat as he fell, slicing down the Rancors body, cutting the beast open from head to toe. A shocked hush fell over the crowd as the Rancor swayed, blood pouring from its gaping wound as it promptly collapsed into the sand with a deafening boom, dead at Ben Solo’s feet. 

“Cheating wretch!” Dug Hanna shouted, pointing accusingly at Hux. “Grab him!”

The guards surrounding Hux made to obey, but Hux was faster, striking out and slashing one of them across the throat, stabbing another directly upward between the ribs. 

He failed to pull the blade out as the body collapsed, having no time to retrieve it as more guards advanced. 

He grunted as a scrap metal staff with what looked to be a lupine jawbone at the top connected with his side beneath his ribs, the long jagged teeth stabbing through the thin material of his undershirt, sinking into his skin.

With a grunt he grabbed onto the staff, delivering a hard kick to the guards sternum that sent him directly into the pit with Ben.

Hux grit his teeth as two pairs of hands grabbed onto him, wrenching his arms behind his back. A hand pressed into his upper back, forcing him into a sort of bow. 

“I underestimated you, Fire-Hair,” Dug Hanna stated, voice trembling with anger as he rose to stand before Hux. He reached down with those filthy hands, gripping Hux’s jaw in a bruising grip.

“You’re a feral, vicious thing driven by rage and you shall be dealt with accordingly. You shall fall to the bite of a Parnassos Beetle, a slow and painful death for a deceptive creature like you.”

Hux’s struggles renewed as a hand gripped his hair and wrenched his body upright to stare directly into Dug Hanna’s sunbaked, wrinkled face as the older man leaned in to whisper in his ear. 

“However, we shall be keeping your strong companion with his strange magic. He will be our new champion. He’ll be a hard one to break, but I will revel in the opportunity to try.”

Without hesitation Hux lashed out, slamming his forehead against the Claw Leaders nose. A loud snap sounded, the man howling in pain as blood poured from his freshly broken nose. 

Hux kicked backward, landing a hard blow to the gut of one of the guards holding him. One arm freed, he ripped Dug Hanna’s staff from his surprise slackened grip and spun around in the other guards grip, slamming the staff into the side of his face. 

The guard spat teeth as he hit the ground, Hux smirking in satisfaction as he turned back to a horrified Dug Hanna, spinning the unfamiliar weapon and touching the pointed end to the man’s saggy throat. 

“You will lower the shield and release my companion. You will surrender our possessions to us and allow us to walk out of your pathetic encampment. If you refuse, I will gut you like a fish before your entire clan.”

Dug Hanna raised shaking hands in surrender, eyes wide and terrified. He signaled toward one nearby guard who hurried toward the pit, pulling a large lever on a pole. The humming of the barrier ceased and Ben made quick work of climbing out of the deep pit, coming to stand beside Hux with an unreadable expression, his saber casting an eerie green light across his purple dusted face. 

A few men approached them slowly, holding Ben’s belt, holster, and blaster out to him. The force user took them, buckling his belt around his hips before turning back to Dug Hanna. 

“I’ll be taking this back as well,” he said, raising a hand to summon his other lightsaber off of the terrified man’s belt, attaching it to the bottom of the other hilt. 

The crowd parted, creatures stumbling over one another to clear the way as Ben and Hux made their way out of the encampment, Hux yanking his knife out of one of the many dead guards as he went. 

Hux waited until they were far enough away from the encampment that he was sure they wouldn’t be followed before allowing himself a long sigh of relief, sagging down to his knees. His entire body ached horribly with every breath. He hadn’t fought like that in years, his muscles unused to the activity. 

Ben glanced down at him with that concerned expression that made his stomach lurch, but thankfully said nothing. 

“When is the ship arriving?” Hux breathed, cradling his pounding head in his hands. 

As if on cue, a shuttle emerged from the dark purple and black clouds not far from where they stood. 

An excited grin spread across Ben’s face as the shuttle landed on clear ground at the base of the plateau. 

Ice filled Hux’s veins as the door opened, a woman in that orange jumpsuit that characterised a Resistance pilot opening the door of the shuttle. 

His gaze flickered upward as a hand appeared in front of his face.

Ben looked more unsure then Hux had ever seen, his usual cocky smirk replaced with a lopsided smile as he offered his hand to him. 

_ ‘The Resistance won’t hurt you.’  _

The thought echoed around in Hux’s head as his stinging eyes met the gentle dark brown of Ben’s own. 

He took in a deep breath, taking Ben’s proffered hand and allowing the other man to help him to his feet, leading him to the shuttle. 

Through the haze of his insecurity and anxiety, he had the distinct feeling that his decision had been the correct one; though whether that was due to the prolonged exposure to radiation or the severe concussion from multiple strikes to the head was an entirely different matter. 

………

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Holidays my dudes! I’m trying very hard to get this story out at a reasonable pace.
> 
> Your comments have been wonderful inspiration for me to keep going, so thank you all very much!
> 
> ~Cynical


	10. There's Always Room Here for the Lonely

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~Chapter Vibes~
> 
> https://youtu.be/BrzXW140-HM

Hux had been completely silent and still the entire trip back to D’Qar. Ben could feel the sheer anxiety radiating off of him as he stared wordlessly out of the viewport, his crystal clear green eyes reflecting the blue lines of passing stars as they travelled through hyperspace. 

The moment they’d stepped onto the shuttle, greeted immediately by a relieved Finn and a restless Poe, they’d both been looked over by a medical droid, Hux seeming rather wary as it spoke to him. Ben supposed he understood why, seeing as the droids in the First Order didn’t typically speak so freely, while this droid openly berated him for his dangerous usage of stims and caff. 

“Your dosage could paralyze a Wampa,” she had tutted as she applied bacta to Hux’s wounds, the ex-General keeping his eyes glued to the metal floor like a child being chastised. 

Ben recalled how those same eyes had flashed in anger and determination as he fiercely fought off the Claw gang. Hux had saved his life down there; he’d willingly endangered himself in order to help him. The thought brought an odd feeling of warmth as he observed the red haired man, obviously much more dangerous than he’d previously imagined. 

“So,” Poe started as he came to stand beside him, breaking him from his thoughts. “How mad was mom when you spoke to her?”

Ben chuckled softly, scratching absently at the bacta patch stuck to the claw marks on his chest. 

“Let's just say we’re definitely going to get quite the lecture, and dads most likely going to be banished to the Falcon again if he hasn’t been already,” Ben replied with a smirk. 

Poe snorted, slapping Ben’s hand away from his bandages as he nodded toward Hux. 

“Is the General prepared for what’s gonna go down when we get home?”

Ben sighed as he leaned back against the wall of the shuttle, his side twinging sharply at the movement. 

“I think he’s prepared for something far worse,” Ben admitted. “He was a child when the Rebellion took Arkanis. He was terrified of us; his father made sure of that.”

_ “Armitage, stop that sniveling this instant. Do you know what the Rebellion will do if they hear us?” _

The crisp imperial accent of Hux’s father rang clearly in his mind. He’d felt so guilty seeing a memory that clearly meant so much to Hux during his meditation, but he hadn’t been able to help it. It was as if Hux’s thoughts were being projected straight to him. 

“So, he thinks he’s being walked from one execution to another,” Poe said, taking on a more sympathetic expression as he considered the silent General. 

Ben nodded, leaning his head back and closing his eyes. 

His entire body ached dully, his skin burning from the harsh sand that still stuck to it, his side, first shot and then stabbed, protesting his every movement. His form was littered with bruises already in the process of healing, some from his fight with the Rancor, some from his fight with Hux. He had to give it to the General, he was much less useless in a fight than he’d expected. 

The image of him headbutting Dug Hanna flashed into his mind. How the blood from the Claw Leaders broken nose had spurted out to splatter across Hux’s pale cheeks and neck where it remained still, an oddly morbid imitation of freckles. Either the man hadn’t realised it was there yet or he simply didn’t care. 

“Master Ben, we’re nearing the system,” warned Threepeo from the copilots seat. 

Ben nodded his thanks, taking in a deep fortifying breath as he pushed off of the wall and approached Hux. 

“Hey,” he greeted flimsily, frowning at his sudden hesitance. 

Discerning green eyes flickered up to his face and Ben resisted the urge to look away. 

“We’re almost there. I… I’m supposed to make sure you don’t know where we are, just in case,” he trailed off. . 

Hux stared up at him, exhaustion evident in his eyes, his gaunt pale face stained very lightly purple from the coating of sand. 

“Do what you must,” he said hoarsely, tone exuding resignation as those exhausted eyes fluttered closed. The utter numbness Ben sensed from the other man hurt more than the punch to the face he’d been dealt by him. 

Ben reached out very carefully, placing two fingers lightly on Hux’s forehead. He was immediately flooded with every sensation the other man was experiencing; the ache in his head where he’d been struck not once but twice, the wound beneath his ribs from the lupine jaw staff that very slowly healed beneath the thick coating of bacta, the littering of bruises covering his pale flesh, the gut clenching fear of what was to come. 

Ben breathed deeply, projecting relaxation, happiness, and safety into his mind. He focused on the feelings he’d sensed from Hux’s memory of his mother; the warmth and joy Hux had felt in her presence. 

_ ‘Sleep,’ _ he gently urged, moving to catch the other man as his body went limp. 

………

_ ~ _

_ “Armitage?” a soft voice called out over the pounding of rain on the rooftop.  _

_ Hux glanced up from in between his little fingers, sniffling as he carefully lifted the cloth of the table he hid beneath. Meerah, his mother, smiled gently at the sight of him.  _

_ “What’s wrong, mo leanbh?” she asked, the term of endearment in her lilting tongue making him smile blearily through his tears.  _

_ He opened his mouth to answer, letting out a whimper at a particularly loud crack of thunder.  _

_ His mother knelt before the table, opening her arms to him. He shot out into her embrace, hugging her tightly, burying his tear streaked face in her hair and breathing in the scent of flowers.  _

_ “Oh Armitage,” she whispered gently, petting his hair and rocking him back and forth.  _

_ “You must remember dearest, you are far more powerful than any storm.” _

_ His mother held him in the safety of her arms, softly singing sweet Arkanisian lullabies until he began to drift off to sleep. He was safe here with her, a feeling he did not often experience.  _

_ He was safe.  _

_ ~ _

Hux awakened slowly from his dream; a memory which he had not thought of for years. His body felt heavy, his eyes glued shut with sleep. He felt well rested, something he hadn’t been for weeks; months, even. 

The ever present ache in his body was gone, as was the anxious energy that came from the stims he used, replaced by a feeling of relaxation and warmth. It was as if someone had removed the weight of the world from his shoulders. 

In the back of his mind, a voice reminded him to check the time on his datapad so he wouldn’t miss his bridge cycle. He reached out blindly toward where his datapad would reside on his bedside table, frowning as he found nothing there but air. 

He finally opened his eyes, blinking away the blurriness that came with such uncharacteristic deep sleep. It was not with a small amount of shock that he took in the sight of a room that was most definitely not his personal quarters on the Finalizer, and suddenly his memories of the past two days hit him like a landspeeder. 

“You’re awake,” a voice suddenly said from beside him. 

Without hesitation Hux flung his arm out in front of him, waiting for his trusty monomolecular blade to slide into his grip. His heart skipped a beat when he realised it was missing. 

Taking a deep breath, he glanced to his left to see Ben Solo sitting in a chair at his bedside, watching him with something like mild amusement written across his face. 

He still wore his torn open black shirt, but his stomach and chest were bandaged rather heavily beneath it. Hux felt a twinge of annoyance as he realised the bruises on the other man’s face had already completely healed while he was sure his own body was entirely black and blue. 

“Apparently,” he finally replied, his throat incredibly dry. Before he could say another word, a cup of water was extended toward him. He stared at it dubiously, eyes flickering up to Ben’s. 

The other man rolled his eyes, bringing the cup to his own lips and taking a demonstrative sip. 

“See? Not poisoned. Now drink,” he said rather insistently, holding the cup out once more. Hux very hesitantly drank from it, the coolness immediately soothing his parched throat. He vaguely recalled when he’d done this for Solo when he’d had him captured on the Finalizer. How the tables had turned.

He wiped his mouth on the back of his hand when he was finished drinking, slowly pushing himself up to a seated position to take a better look at his surroundings. 

The room he was in was of a decent size, the cot in the very centre of it. The covers he was bundled up in were an odd faded pink colour, but they were very warm, pleasantly so.

To the right of him there was a refresher behind a privacy screen and a chair with a folded pile of clean clothes resting on the seat. 

To his left, there was a small table with two chairs and a bookcase with physical books on it, something that reminded Hux of his own quarters where he’d kept his father's ancient collection of hide-bound flimsiplast books on a shelf behind his console. 

He supposed the armchair Ben had pulled over to his bedside probably belonged beside the bookcase. 

A thin viewport at the very top of the left hand wall let in a sliver of sunlight, affording Hux a limited view of the planet they were on. He went through the star maps in his mind he’d long memorised, going through each planet he could think of that matched the description of what he saw, but he didn’t recognise it. 

“You won’t. This planet is not on any star map,” Solo commented. 

Hux’s gaze turned toward him, his brow furrowed in frustration. 

“Don’t do that,” he snapped. 

“Can’t help it,” Solo shrugged, standing as the door buzzed. 

“Your thoughts are loud.”

Hux watched in confusion as he waved the door open, someone handing him a tray through the doorway before the door quickly closed again. 

Ben turned around with the tray, walking to the table and setting it down. Hux’s stomach growled as he took in the sight of a healthy helping of food; nothing lavish, but food all the same. His stomach growled at the sight and he very quickly remembered he hadn’t eaten anything in two days. 

“Now, I don’t have time to poison test all of this as I’m due for a briefing where I will no doubt be torn to absolute shreds by my mother for going to get you without telling her, so please just take my word for it that the food is safe,” Solo stated, motioning to the tray before making his way back toward the door. 

Those words gave Hux pause. He’d assumed his capture had been a direct order from General Organa. Knowing that it was evidently something Ben had done behind her back did something very odd to Hux’s perception of the situation as a whole. 

Hux’s thoughts swam with confusion as the force user once again waved the door open, turning back to look at him over his shoulder. 

“Eat. I’ll be back soon,” he promised before disappearing behind the door, the hiss of a lock sounding with finality. 

Hux took a deep breath as he was left by himself in his… cell? The door was locked, but he somehow couldn’t think of this room as a cell. Cells were meant to be uncomfortable for the occupant. They were a method of torture in of itself, meant to wear down a prisoner; keep them in a constant state of discomfort and disquiet. 

This room was certainly not extravagant, but it was comfortable. There was no interrogation table, no one-way transparisteel for constant observation, no hard and unwelcoming durasteel bench. 

He glanced toward the food that waited for him, very slowly moving his legs over the side of the cot. His bare feet touched the cool durasteel floor, startling him. It was then that he realised his torn uniform jacket had been removed. He wore only his slightly bloodied black undershirt and his undergarments. He was suddenly very grateful he hadn’t tried to get up while Solo was still in the room. 

His eyes searched only briefly before landing on the neat pile of clothes left on the chair near the fresher. His skin itched from the grains of purple sand still stuck to it, his body coated in two strenuous days worth of sweat and grime. His decision made, he moved toward the refresher, stepping behind the privacy screen and stripping off his remaining clothes. 

He stepped into the sonic, quickly going about cleaning his skin and hair. The routine of it calmed him a bit, though he missed the feeling of his own shower in his quarters; missed the sensation of actual water running along his body, soothing the ache in his muscles. 

He sighed in relief as he emerged from the sonic, clean for the first time in several days. His hair hung limply over his forehead now that the pomade had been washed out. He brushed it back in annoyance, reaching around the screen to grab the clean clothes off of the chair. 

He pulled on the surprisingly soft white undershirt, frowning minutely as he held up the solid grey flight suit. He looked it over, reasonably satisfied as he found no Resistance or Rebellion insignias. Careful of his bandaged side, he stepped into the suit, gingerly pulling it on and zipping it almost all the way up.

It hung loosely on his thin frame and he found himself wishing for his greatcoat and the extra breadth it added to his shoulders. 

Shaking away the thought, he plucked up the socks supplied and quickly pulled them on before making his way to the table, thankful at least for the layer in between his feet and the cold floor. 

He trusted Solo when he’d said the food wasn’t poisoned, but he was still hesitant to just accept that nothing was amiss. This treatment… this had to be some odd form of torture. Perhaps their plan was to make him complacent with a comfortable bed and decent food, and then suddenly take it all away until he told them whatever they wanted.

He resolved to think on that later, his hunger a far more pressing matter at that moment. 

Whatever the Resistance would throw at him, he knew he’d survive. 

He always did. 

………

“I cannot believe you,” Leia said the moment Ben had walked into her quarters, Poe and Finn following close behind. 

“Mother I-“

Ben’s mouth snapped shut immediately as Leia held a hand up. 

“Out of all of the absolutely insane ideas you two have had… I mean, honestly Ben. Can I take my eyes off of you for even a moment without the fear that you’ll pull a stunt like that?! What were you thinking, sneaking onto a Star Destroyer and kidnapping a General of the First Order?! You could’ve been killed! And not only did you and Poe put yourselves in danger, you dragged Threepeo into it! He lost an arm for your harebrained scheme!”

“Bringing him wasn’t exactly my idea!” Ben said in defense of himself, quickly quieting at a sharp glance. 

“I know. Your father has been sleeping on the Falcon for the past few days to atone for  _ his  _ part in this. I just don’t understand how you could’ve thought this was a good plan?”

“He was going to be executed!” Ben reasoned. 

“We thought if we could rescue him he’d make a good ally!”

“The First Order has brainwashed their Officers to the point of unwavering loyalty. We’d be lucky to get one word from him.”

“I think it can be done, Mom! I really-“

“No. I don’t want to hear this right now,” Leia said firmly, moving out from behind her desk. 

“Why do I feel like I’m yelled at every single time I come home?” Ben shot back, crossing his arms tightly. 

“Because every single time you’ve come home, it was from doing something immeasurably stupid!”

“I know you’re disappointed that I-“

“I’m not disappointed, Ben. I’m angry!” Leia shouted before taking a step back and a deep breath. She stayed silent for a moment, taking time to regain her composure before turning to look at Finn. 

“Despite the circumstances, I’m glad that you found your way to us, and I promise you, you will be taken care of here,” she said reassuringly, the boy’s face lighting up with a grin. 

“Poe, I’m putting you in charge of him. You’ll have plenty of time since, starting now, both you and Ben are forbidden to leave this base. I don’t want either of you even  _ looking _ at a ship until further notice.”

Ben and Poe knew better than to argue, bowing their heads and saluting. She motioned for Poe and Finn to go, turning to Ben with a quirked brow. 

“Alright. Let’s go speak with the General.”

………

Hux sat at the edge of the cot, hands buried in his hair as he considered his options. 

Escape at this juncture would be well nigh impossible. 

For one, the transparisteel of the viewport was reinforced and entirely unbreakable. There was no actual way to open his door from the inside; no code panel, no scanner, not even a handle. Solo needed only to wave his hand to open the door, but for Hux, nothing short of thermal detonator would get him through.

Then there was the fact that Hux was entirely unfamiliar with not only the layout of the base, but with the planet beyond. And if he did manage to escape, he was more than certain Ben Solo and his ridiculous magic would see to it he didn’t get far. 

He could attempt to offer them false information in exchange for his freedom, but again, Solo’s powers would be his downfall; human lie detector that he was. 

He shot up from the mattress as he heard the lock of his door retract, glancing over just as the object of his aggravation stepped in, followed by someone Hux recognised immediately, his heart leaping into his throat. 

General Leia Organa considered him closely as the door closed and locked behind her. She looked so small, especially next to Ben, but her lack of height certainly didn’t take away from her sheer presence; the presence of a General. 

Hux kept his eyes on the stern woman even as Solo walked further into the cell, plucking up his now empty food tray and setting it aside. 

“Won’t you take a seat, General,” Organa said, her words more an order than a suggestion. Hux complied, walking to the table and sitting in one of the chairs. 

Leia approached him, taking the seat across from him as Ben came over to stand behind her. 

“I must say,” she started, giving him a once over. “You’re not what I expected.”

Hux held back a grimace at that, his lips pressing into a thin line. 

“I would say the same for you, General,” he replied curtly, watching as the corners of Leia’s lips upturned into a tight smile, the laugh lines around her eyes pronounced. 

Looking at her now, Hux could very clearly see the family resemblance. Hers and Ben’s eyes were the same; both a distinct shade of deep brown with gold flecks, both the same rounded shape, and both somehow filled to the brim with a sort of ancient wisdom; with hope. 

“I should say before we begin that I don’t plan on making this easy for you,” Hux said very matter of factly, eyes traveling to Ben who he found staring directly back at him, his expression far more serious than he’d seen thus far. 

Leia took in his words, seeming to mull them over before folding her hands together and placing them on the table, exuding unarguable authority. 

“As I understand it,“ she began.

”You had been sentenced to death by the First Order. But, through the efforts of my boys, something that went on completely behind my back, you’ve ended up here. Frankly, I have no idea what to do in this situation, but here’s what we won’t do. 

“We will not question you or interrogate you as that would be a monumental waste of time and resources, and you will not be harmed or mistreated in any way. That being said, if you attempt to interfere with any of our operations, to contact the First Order, or do anything else that we would construe as a threat, this arrangement will be null and void. 

“Furthermore, all guards are under strict instruction that, should you be seen outside of this cell unaccompanied by my son or myself, you are to be shot on sight.”

She leaned back a bit, nodding to Ben as if he’d said something to her, which, Hux supposed, he probably had. 

Her eyes met his once again, suddenly much softer, almost kinder. The change set him even more on edge.

“I don’t know what you’ve been told of us, but while you are here you will be treated with the respect and dignity afforded to any living being. Your wounds will be seen to, you will be fed, and you need not fear torture or pain of any kind so long as you abide by our rules.”

Hux found himself utterly speechless, an experience he didn’t have to contend with often.

Ben’s words once again echoed through his mind:

_ “The Resistance won't hurt you. Whatever you’ve been told about our methods of dealing with prisoners, just know that’s not how it truly is.”  _

The man let slip a small knowing smile and Hux scowled, turning back to face the petite woman as he remembered himself. 

“You and your  _ son _ ,” he spat as if the word tasted foul on his tongue. 

“You both seem to have this ridiculous notion that you can wear me down, get me to trust you, but I know better,” he snapped, his expression hardening, his eyes cold.

”I know your capabilities and your character, so don’t waste your time playing peacemaker with me, General.”

“Believe me,” Leia said, rising from her seat with the carriage of a Queen. 

“I don’t expect to gain your trust, just as you will never gain mine. I came here simply to establish my rules.”

With that said, she made her way to the door, Ben following behind her. 

“Your dinner will be delivered to you at 19:00 standard time,” she said with a note of finality as Ben waved open the door and they disappeared through it, leaving Hux to stare, positively flabbergasted, after them. 

“This has to be a trap,” he whispered to himself. 

“It has to be.”

………

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My dad helped me write this chapter.
> 
> Literally.
> 
> So, shoutout to dad, I guess.
> 
> Also, Meerah calls baby Hux “mo leanbh” because it means “My Child” in Irish (credit to Smol_Kitty for the translation) and I’ve just decided for some reason that Arkanis is Ireland. I don’t know, my dudes.
> 
> Leave me a comment if you like! I love your comments and I’m very grateful for them all.
> 
> ~Cynical


	11. On Melancholy Hill

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~Chapter Vibes~
> 
> https://youtu.be/_lAjs75dkho

Three days had passed since Hux had been brought to D’Qar, and Ben was no closer to getting through to him than before. 

He could feel the sheer suspicion and distrust Hux still held strongly to every time he so much as looked at the other man. It was as if he was waiting for the proverbial punchline; waiting for the betrayal he was brought up to expect from anyone affiliated with the Resistance. 

Ben tried not to be frustrated, tried to tell himself he should’ve expected this from the start, but he couldn’t seem to shake the notion that perhaps the force had taken him down the wrong path. He had been so sure that the force was pushing him toward Hux, binding their fates together, leading him toward rescuing Hux to bring him to the light.

He’d risked his life to save the man from execution, he’d fought against that Rancor, he’d been saved by Hux himself, he’d shown Hux time and time again that he didn’t want to hurt him, that he could be trusted, and how was he repaid for his efforts? With open hatred, mistrust, biting insults, and a stare that could wither away a full grown Bantha. 

“Kid! They’re here,” his father called, bringing him back out of his bitter thoughts as he spotted what he’d been waiting for. A small smile spread across his face as Luke’s old ship appeared through the clouds, landing on the small airfield near the Falcon. 

He jumped down from his place on top of his X-Wing, jogging toward the ship. His mother and father stepped forward to join him in waiting, Han wrapping his arms around Ben and Leia’s shoulders as the small ramp descended with a hiss. 

Luke was the first to emerge, followed closely behind by the nine new Padawans, each carrying one or two of the smallest Younglings while the rest waddled along after. 

Ben watched with a wide grin as a few people ran forward toward the group, tearfully embracing their children he was sure they hadn’t seen in months.

Trips to Yavin 4 were few and far between. Though the planet was located in the Outer-Rim territories, it also fell between two widely used hyperspace routes, making regular visits a large risk of catching the eye of the First Order.

More men and women stepped forward, presenting the other children whose parents didn’t happen to be present with gifts or treats that they excitedly took. It wasn’t often anyone at the base saw children, so their arrival was an event to be celebrated.

Ben turned his attention back to Luke, finding his uncle already looking at him with his intense blue eyed stare. 

“Welcome, Master,” he greeted as he stepped forward, bowing shallowly so as not to aggravate his still healing wound. 

“Ben,” Luke replied with that knowing tone. “Your mother told me about the trouble you managed to get yourself into while you were away from the temple. Are you planning to make a habit of boarding enemy Star Destroyers or was this just a two time thing?”

Ben lowered his gaze a bit sheepishly at that, staring at the scuffed, dust covered toes of his boots. 

He glanced back up as a hand landed on his shoulder, meeting his uncle's amused gaze. 

“I’m glad to see you made it out almost unscathed. I’ll be expecting to hear the full story later,” Luke said quietly. 

“It’s a good one,” Han chimed in as he moved in behind him, grunting at a jab to the ribs from Leia. 

“How do you expect him to stay out of trouble when you two encourage him like that,” she said deprecatingly, though there was a glimmer of amusement in her eyes. 

Luke smiled as she walked forward, embracing her tightly. 

“It’s good to see you Leia. It’s been far too long.”

Ben suddenly became aware of a presence, getting very little warning before he felt a weight on his back. He very quickly caught himself before he could stumble, holding onto Rey’s arms as they wrapped around his shoulders. 

“Ben!” she exclaimed, hugging him tightly with her entire body, her face buried between his shoulder blades.

“I sensed that you were in danger. I was so worried about you,” she whispered softly enough for only Ben to hear. He couldn’t help but smile, his heart swelling with affection as he leant his head against one of Rey’s little arms. 

“I’m alright,” he replied just as quietly. 

“You’d better be,” she said, hopping down and walking around him to fix him with a stern gaze. “You still need to teach me to fly.”

Ben let out an earnest laugh, his side stinging at the movement though he ignored it as best he could. 

“You’re right. I certainly do.”

………

“So there we were, Threepeo in the cockpit, Ben, Finn, and I in the back of the shuttle with the unconscious General,” Poe retold, his expression deadly serious as everyone seated at the table soaked up his every word, even Finn who looked utterly awestruck despite having been there. 

“We were hit with a heavy barrage of blaster fire from an entire squadron of Troopers when the trash compactor activated. I raced to the cockpit to help Threepeo as the walls slowly came closer and closer. I was beginning to panic when suddenly… they stopped.”

More than a few of the Younglings gasped aloud, their eyes wide with the suspense of Poe’s narrative. Ben smacked a hand over his eyes, shaking his head and trying not to laugh as his friend continued. 

“I looked back into the shuttle to see Ben standing there, his arms outstretched and his eyes squeezed shut as he held those walls apart with the force. He stayed focused even as the ship shook under the volley of blaster fire until finally it started up, the doors below us opening and releasing us from the clutches of the First Order!”

Poe finished big, his audience clapping at the very dramatic retelling. 

“Well,” Luke said with a smile, leaning back a bit in his seat. 

“That  _ was _ quite the story, boys.”

“Told ya,” Han said with a look of pride, clapping a hand on Ben’s shoulder. “Now that’s the way to escape a trash compactor, huh Leia?”

As conversation began to strike up in the crowded room, Ben ducked into the corridor, taking a deep breath as he distanced himself from the excitement.

He walked along the hall toward his quarters, absently trailing his fingers over the Corellian blood stripes running down the sides of his hand me down trousers.

He sensed someone approaching him as he walked, shoulders tensing for only a moment before he recognised the familiar presence of Rey. 

He slowed his pace as the girl fell into step beside him, adjusting for her smaller gait. 

“So,” she started, his relaxation very quickly ebbing away at her utterly mischievous tone. 

“So what,” he said, eyeing the girl suspiciously. 

“So… General Hux, huh?”

“What about him?”

Rey snorted at that, looking up at him as if he were an idiot. 

“It was  _ his _ presence I sensed in your thoughts back at the temple. He was the one you were dreaming about, wasn’t he?”

Blood rushed to Ben’s face at Rey’s question. He internally debated whether or not to reply truthfully, but realised quickly that lying to her would be utterly pointless.

He sighed deeply as they reached the door to his quarters, waving his hand to open it and walking in, Rey following closely behind. 

“Yes” he finally replied, refusing to look at the girl as he slumped onto his mattress. 

“I knew it!” she exclaimed, her smile growing wider and somehow more impish as she considered him. 

“So… do you think he’s good looking?” she inquired teasingly, fluttering her eyelashes. 

His breath caught in his throat, his eyes going wide and his face going red as Rey burst into a fit of laughter entirely at his expense. 

“Get out of my room you brat!” he shouted, only managing to elicit more laughter from her. 

He groaned in annoyance, laying back in his bunk and pulling a pillow over his face.

………

Hux paced about his room like a man gone mad, rubbing his temples as he tried to keep his thoughts under control. 

For three days now, Ben Solo had brought each of his meals to him, every time looking at him with that meaningful stare, gut churning concern in those deep brown eyes. He gave Hux the distinct feeling of being some sort of sad stray animal the other man had found and taken home out of pity. 

Hux shook off that thought with a sneer, heading to the chair beside the bookcase and almost falling into it in frustration. He hated staying still; he hated just waiting for something to happen. Hux had always preferred to keep his schedule busy, even when he was young. He preferred to be fully immersed in his work and he was loathe to take time off unless absolutely necessary. 

His only comfort these days was that he knew he could get through this, whatever it was. The Resistance wouldn’t break him. 

With a heavy sigh, Hux reached out to run his fingers over the spines of the books on the shelf, stopping on one relatively large tome with a worn peeling cover of faded green. He gently removed the book, flipping open the cover. 

The title was faded and blurred with water stains and time, but from what he could parse the book was one of children’s fairytales. A small scribble of black in the corner of the front page caught his eye, bringing the volume closer to read:  _ ‘Ben Organa’ _ in a messy childish script.

He had a rather difficult time picturing Ben Solo as a child, and an even more difficult time picturing Leia Organa as a mother figure who had the time to read fairy stories to her son.

Absently, he flipped through the pages of the book, not quite taking anything in until he reached a page with an illustration that halted his breathing; a golden haired princess sitting before the window of her tower, her expression wistful as if she were waiting for someone to find her and whisk her away from her lonely castle. 

His fingers traced over the page as memories came flooding back to him. He remembered each word of the story that accompanied the image, hearing them even now in his mother’s gentle voice as she read from the very book he now held. 

With sudden urgency he turned the volume over to its back, flipping open the back cover and searching the page. He tried to quash his disappointment when he didn’t find the stamp marking the book ‘Property of the Arkanis Imperial Academy’.

He jumped in his seat, almost dropping the book in his haste to replace it back on the shelf as his cell door hissed open. 

He glanced up just as Ben Solo entered the room, trying to calm his racing heartbeat. He sat back in his chair, fixing the other man with a look of disdain. 

“It isn’t noon yet. Why are you here?” he demanded rather than asked, watching the force user carefully as he crossed the room to stand before him. His eyes dropped to the man’s hand, surprised to see he was holding a pair of boots; Hux’s boots. 

“Put these on,” Solo said simply, holding them out for Hux to take. He sighed wearily when Hux didn’t move, dropping them on the floor at his feet and stepping back a few paces to give him some space. 

“Why?” Hux questioned suspiciously, very slowly reaching down to take one of his boots in hand, running his fingertips across the buttery soft leather. He missed his uniform; the authority and respect it garnered, the routine of donning it everyday, the confidence it brought. 

“Because we’re going for a walk.”

Hux glanced sideways at the other man sceptically, stalling with one boot halfway on. 

“A… walk ,” he repeated, his tone incredulous as he regarded the force user. “To where?”

Ben rolled his eyes in an uncharacteristic display of frustration, huffing in a way Hux would almost call dramatic. 

“Could you stop questioning my motives for five minutes and just put your fasking shoes on?” he snapped, folding his arms tightly across his chest.

Hux frowned in disdain but finally obeyed, neatly tucking in the pant legs of his flight suit. He stood from his seat, his head high as he approached Ben who waited for him by the door. 

He held out his wrists in front of his body, staring straight over Solo’s shoulder. 

“What are you doing?” the man asked, staring down at his offered hands. 

“Aren’t you going to cuff me?” Hux asked, his grimace deepening as the other man huffed a laugh. 

“I don’t need to,” he said, raising his hand and twiddling his fingers. “Remember.”

“Ah, yes,” Hux grumbled in reply, not quite managing to hold back a flinch as his body prepared for the all too familiar feeling of a force hold around his throat. Solo’s brows upturned in that look of concern that made Hux’s blood boil, but he didn’t comment, simply waving his raised hand toward the door to open it. 

“C’mon,” he said, motioning for Hux to exit first. 

With only slight hesitation, Hux stepped through the doorway and into the corridor. Ben came out after him, the door hissing closed behind them with a note of finality. 

“This way.”

Hux followed as Ben led him down the slim corridor, turning into a much wider hall. Resistance members in their mismatched brown uniforms filled the area, many turning to watch as they walked past. Hux ignored their suspicious whispers, carrying himself with the same confidence here that he would on the Finalizer as he followed a few paces behind Ben. 

The force user led him through the winding corridors until they reached a metal doorway. Ben leaned down to type in his code, his body blocking Hux’s view of the keypad. The door hissed open and Hux was instantly hit with the very welcome sensation of a gentle breeze, the smell of fresh air wafting to his nose. 

He blinked in surprise as Ben motioned for him to go through, the feeling of the sun hitting his face shockingly pleasant as he stepped out. 

He took in his surroundings with hungry eyes. They were surrounded on all sides by rolling hills and distant mountains hidden behind a thick wall of fog. The area in which they now stood was lush and green, the entire top of the Resistance Base itself covered in grass and earth to cleverly camouflage it from above. The air was damp and cool as it filled Hux’s lungs, tasting sweet on his tongue. 

He momentarily forgot his fear, simply taking a minute to bask in the glow around him. When he opened his eyes, he caught sight of Solo watching him, an odd expression on his face, his cheeks tinted pink. 

He resisted the urge to ask after his health as he fervently reminded himself that the other man was his capture; certainly not someone to be concerned for.

He fell into step beside Solo as they walked along a wide paved pathway, X-Wings parked in hidden subterranean compartments on either side of them. 

More people in an assortment of mismatched uniforms passed by them, a few saluting Solo respectfully with mumbled utterances of “Commander.”

They walked until they were no longer on the paved pathway, Hux’s thoughts very slowly drifting back to suspicion the further they went. 

Was Solo taking him somewhere to dispose of him quietly? 

Why would he go through the trouble of leading him all the way out to wherever they were headed to do so? And why would the Resistance have bothered to feed him if they were planning to have him executed without interrogation in the first place?

“Will you stop that,” Solo snapped over his shoulder from just ahead, startling Hux out of his thoughts. 

He opened his mouth, a question poised on his tongue when Solo whipped around to face him, aggravation clear on his face. 

“For the past four days I have had to listen to your paranoid wonderings and skepticism nonstop. I realise you were raised to fear the Rebellion, but you need to understand that we’re not actually the group of savage anarchists you’ve been led to believe we are. We don’t stand for a lack of order, we stand for freedom. And we aren’t cold blooded killers who force information out of people like you, so stop agonizing over it! It’s giving me a headache.”

Hux found himself struck speechless by the other man’s rant, watching wordlessly as he stepped through a thicket of tall green brush. He followed behind, his feet seeming to move of their own accord as he stepped out into a large clearing. 

His eyes widened as he took in the sight of a secluded lake surrounded by misty mountains. The water was the clearest Hux had ever seen, the stones and vegetation at the very bottom visible even from where he stood. 

“People come here to swim,” Ben explained, though he hadn’t yet voiced his question. Hux couldn’t find it in himself to be annoyed with the other man, taking a few tentative steps forward toward the sandy shore. 

“Why did you bring me here?” he inquired, turning to glance at the other man, not even bothering to mask his confusion. 

“You’d been in that cell for days. I thought you’d appreciate the chance to stretch your legs,” he answered, rubbing the back of his neck. 

In the sunlight Hux could just see the outline of the bandages wrapped around Solo’s stomach through his thin white shirt. His eyes flickered curiously toward his chest, a large sliver of which was revealed by the collar of the shirt, unbuttoned almost halfway down. The slashes from the Rancor’s claws had healed completely, leaving behind smooth unblemished skin as if nothing had happened.

“I also wanted to…” Ben started, catching Hux a bit off guard as his gaze snapped back up to the other man’s face. 

“I wanted to thank you for what you did on Parnassos,” he finally said, his eyes painfully earnest. 

“What I did?” Hux repeated, his brow scrunching as he looked to the dim reflection of his own face in the toe of his boots. 

“You saved my life,” he reiterated, taking a small step closer. “You could’ve just sat there and watched me get eaten by that Rancor, but you didn’t let that happen.”

“It was entirely out of self preservation,” Hux replied a bit too quickly, taking a deep breath to ground himself before continuing. 

“I knew my chances of survival were slim to nil without you and your… force magic. It was merely a logical step to take.”

The edges of Solo’s lips upturned in slight amusement as he planted himself on a boulder at the water's edge. He dug the scuffed toes of his boots into the wet sand absentmindedly, his hair gently moving about his face as a breeze swept through the clearing. 

“Of course,” he finally said, staring out over the glassy surface of the lake. “No matter. If at any point in the future you find yourself needing somewhere to rest other than your room, just let me know and I’ll bring you here.”

Hux nodded wordlessly, eyes traveling to the gentle movement of the water against the shore.

“Thank you,” he said, the words leaving his mouth before he’d even realised he’d spoken.

And he’d meant it.

………

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait! I’ve been at my sister’s apartment for a few days.
> 
> Leave me a comment if you’d like! I enjoy the affirmation.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this kinda chill chapter!
> 
> ~Cynical


	12. No Verdict was Returned

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~Chapter Vibes~
> 
> https://youtu.be/uAsV5-Hv-7U

Over the course of the next few days, Hux had been afforded a bit more freedom than before. Solo would bring him his lunch and sit with him in silence while he ate it, and then he would lead him out of his cell for the afternoon. Sometimes they’d go for a short walk, but more often than not, Hux would accompany Ben while the other man completed tasks or trained with his students. 

It was the latter that Hux now watched, sitting silently on top of a storage trunk off to the side as Ben, dressed in his strange Jedi robes, lead twenty small children, all under the age of twelve, through very simple lightsaber forms whilst, a few feet away, Luke Skywalker worked with the nine children he had called Padawan learners. 

The sight was rather unusual to behold, the Younglings excitedly soaking up Ben’s instructions and beaming at the praise they received as they moved carefully with their small training lightsabers. 

Hux couldn’t help but compare this gentle and rewarding method of teaching to the method he’d been exposed to when he was their age, remembering his lessons in the cold meeting room his father would take him to onboard the Absolution. There had been no laughter in that room, only emotionless lectures and harsh reprimands should he fail to understand the material he was presented with. 

He had not been allowed mistakes, even simple ones. 

Hux came back to himself as someone sat beside him, glancing over to see Finn, his bright eyes focused on the two groups before them with the slightest smile, followed by Poe who stood beside him. 

“You seem like you’re a little out of your element, General. Have you never seen force users train?” Poe asked conversationally with an easygoing smirk. 

“I have never seen training of this sort before,” Hux admitted as he watched Ben gently and patiently correct one Youngling’s posture. “I find it… perplexing.”

Hux hesitated in saying more than that. While Dameron had been much more tolerant of him after Parnassos, he’d go as far to say the man had even been kind to him, he was still a Resistance Commander and therefore not someone he wished to discuss much of anything with. 

“It’s amazing,” Finn breathed with a look of genuine wonder. “I’ve never seen a training session where the children were allowed to have fun. They’re just… allowed to be children.”

An almost sombre silence passed between the three of them, Poe fixing the boy with a compassionate look Hux glimpsed in his periphery. 

“The First Order really does a number on its own people, huh?” Poe finally said, placing a hand on Finn’s shoulder as the boy nodded. 

“They control your every waking moment, watch your every move, force you to think the way they think you should. I can’t even remember how many times I was reconditioned.”

“Thirteen,” Hux replied automatically, determinedly keeping his eyes straight ahead as Finn and Poe turned to stare at him. 

“They stole your childhood from you,” Poe stated. “ _ Both _ of you.”

Hux’s jaw clenched at that. He considered snapping back, arguing, but held his tongue. 

“But you’re here now. The First Order won’t find you,” Poe reassured, Finn smiling widely at that and leaning against the pilot’s side. 

Hux froze, his heart skipping a beat as a thought hit him with the force of a charging Dewback. 

_ ‘The chip,’  _ he thought, doing his utmost to keep his expression passive.  _ ‘Every Stormtrooper is implanted with one. How could I have forgotten? I need only wait for the Order to identify the defected Trooper, which they should any day now, and send someone after his signal. I’ll hand over Solo and return to my former position and back into Snoke’s good graces.’ _

For the first time since his capture, Hux’s shoulders relaxed. 

At last, he had a plan. 

………

~

_ “Supreme Leader,” a familiar voice called in the darkness.  _

_ Ben opened his eyes to see the familiar interior of the Holochamber aboard the Finalizer, the man he recognised as Captain Peavey standing at attention before the looming throne as the towering hologram of the Supreme Leader materialised.  _

_ “General Peavey,” the dark creature hissed. “Tell me, have you made any progress in locating the traitor?” _

_ “We have, sir. Captain Phasma was able to identify the Cadet Trooper that aided his escape as FN-2187. I’m sure that wherever we find that boy, Hux will not be far off.” _

_ “And where he is, Ben Solo will be as well,” the Supreme Leader continued, a wicked expression overtaking his twisted face. “Excellent. Find the boy.” _

_ “Yes, Leader Snoke.” _

_ The image, the vision, began to fade. Ben struggled to hold onto it, begged the force to keep him there, to allow him to hear more, but it was no use.  _

~

Ben snapped back to reality with a gasp, his heart beating out of his chest as he struggled to breath. 

Startled green eyes met his, Hux staring at him curiously from over his half eaten supper. Ben avoided the gaze as he ran his fingers through his hair, pushing a few wayward strands from in front of his eyes while he caught his breath. He felt as if his lungs were filled with water. 

_ ‘Snoke,’ _ he thought, the name sending a shock of fear through his entire body. That was his name. That was the monster from his childhood who whispered manipulative and reassuring words in his head even as he flooded his mind with nightmares and terror every single night for thirteen years. 

Standing from his seat almost numbly, he approached the cot and lowered himself onto the thin mattress, resting his head in his hands as he fought off the memories that threatened to spring back into his mind against his will. 

Hux opened and closed his mouth several times, hesitating every time he started to form a sentence. He finally settled back into his chair and resolved to stay silent, though his mind was awash with a tumultuous blend of emotion that Ben couldn’t begin to parse in his current state. 

Ben took in several deep breaths, doing his best to collect himself. It was unwise to show such weakness in front of an enemy, if Hux could still be referred to as such. 

“Are you finished with your meal?” he asked, glancing toward the perplexed man. 

Hux nodded wordlessly, his discerning gaze following his every move as he rose from the cot, plucked up the tray, and made his way toward the cell door. 

“Wait.”

That single syllable had Ben immediately frozen in place. He glanced back over his shoulder toward the Ex-General, his brow creasing with a silent question. 

“You told me to let you know when I needed to be somewhere other than here,” Hux started, standing from his chair and taking a few steps toward Ben. 

“Could we…” he trailed off, face scrunching up as if merely the thought of asking for Ben’s permission to do anything caused him immense discomfort.

Ben spared him further pain and nodded, waving open the door and motioning for the other man to follow. 

Their walk was silent and rather uneventful, the corridors in that particular section of the base nearly deserted. Ben and Hux made their way along the now familiar path to the surface, stopping only to discard the tray on the way. 

Something like relief washed over him as he stepped through the doorway and breathed in the refreshing evening air, Hux not far behind. 

He knew he’d have to tell his uncle about his vision soon, but the very thought of reliving it even for a moment made him physically ill. At least in his past visions he’d had Hux as a sort of buffer. He’d felt the General’s presence all around him and that feeling had made him feel safer somehow. 

This most recent vision was entirely different; it was as if he’d been thrown from reality into a deep black pit, the voice of the force itself imploring him to listen, warning him, begging him. He’d been entirely alone, watching the scene unfold before him as a terrified bystander. 

He snapped out of his thoughts as he took in the sight of the small lake before him. He hadn’t realised they’d arrived. 

He turned to see Hux once again staring at him with an expression that was almost concern before quickly shifting his gaze to the water.

“Why did you want to come out here?” Ben finally asked, kneeling at the edge of the water and dipping a hand into it to scrub at his face. He ignored the feeling of the cold water soaking through the croshhide of his leggings as it lapped up onto the shore.

Hux didn’t answer immediately, the nerves radiating off of him giving Ben pause. He glanced up towards the other man who seemed to be searching the sky for something. 

All at once, a thought crossed Ben’s mind that momentarily halted his breathing. He remembered the conversation from his vision; Peavey’s progress report, Snoke’s order to find Finn, Peavey’s sheer confidence in his ability to do so. 

“Hux,” he said softly, his tone almost menacing. 

“Does the First Order have a way to find you?”

Green eyes hardened as they met his gaze. The Ex-General’s expression was unreadable as he fixed him with that cold stare. 

“No,” he said. 

Ben sensed truth in his statement, but also undeniable deceit hidden behind it. Slowly he rose from his kneeling position, advancing toward the other man. Hux’s expression faltered minutely as Ben stopped just in front of him, barely a hair's breadth away. 

“What are you hiding?” Ben demanded. 

Hux looked as if he was about to answer when his eyes flickered over Ben’s shoulder. Alarm bells rang in his mind and he whirled around and threw up his hand just in time to stop a bolt aimed directly at his back. 

“Hux, get back!” he yelled as he whipped the bolt to the side into a nearby tree, searching the wall of trees that surrounded them for the intruder. 

He was prepared for the next bolt that came, easily directing it to the ground, but was not prepared whatsoever for the net that shot forth to engulf and lock around him. 

He struggled against the solid cables as they constricted around him, just managing to free his lightsaber from his belt. Before he could so much as breath, a black shape flew out of the trees, a hard blow to his chest following immediately after, sending him hurtling into the shallow end of the lake. 

He coughed and sputtered as water invaded his lungs, thrashing until he managed to roll himself face up. He called out to the force to summon his lightsaber, but froze as his attacker leaned over him. 

Fear rushed through his veins like ice as his eyes met the black mask of a Knight of Ren. 

“No,” he whispered. 

“Yes,” the Knight hissed in reply, raising a black clad arm and clicking a button on their gauntlet. 

Ben’s body was immediately flooded with electrical currents that set his very veins on fire. His vision went white. He could hear nothing but water splashing around his ears and a distant animalistic scream that sounded as if it was being forced through bared teeth; it hardly registered in his pain clouded mind as his own. 

He couldn’t call out to the force; he couldn’t defend himself. 

His blurry eyes connected with those familiar sea green eyes and he tried his best to project the one thing his electricity addled brain could come up with. 

_ ‘Please.’ _

………

_ ‘Please.’ _

The plaintive word echoed around in Hux’s mind as he met Ben Solo’s tearfilled gaze. The sight of the force user, crying out and convulsing in the shallows of the lake, made Hux utterly nauseous. He could almost feel the other man’s pain. 

“Hux,” the Knight, Kuruk, called out with a rasping voice. 

Hux glanced up, meeting the masked face with a stony expression. 

“Ren,” he said, holding his hands behind his back as he did his best to ignore Solo’s cries. 

“You certainly took your time.”

The Knight tilted their head, considering him as they reached around and pulled their specialised rifle off of their back. They huffed a laugh, barely audible through their vocoder. 

“You and your friends were well hidden,” they replied, stepping past Solo’s convulsing body toward Hux. 

“Friends? No. I am still loyal to the First Order; to Snoke,” he said, taking a step back as the black clad figure approached at a dangerously slow pace; a predator seizing up prey.

“Well… it’s too bad then that the First Order is not loyal to you,” Kuruk spat, a hint of dark amusement in their tone. 

“General Peavey has already publicly pronounced you dead. And I’ve come here with direct orders from Leader Snoke to return with the boy and to kill you and the defective Trooper like the traitors you are.”

“I never betrayed him and he knows that,” Hux insisted, his pulse quickening as pure adrenaline coursed through his body. 

“He doesn’t care,” Kuruk shrugged, raising their rifle threateningly. “You’re no longer of use to him.”

“Not of use? I led him to Ben Solo! You never would have found him if it weren’t for me,” Hux insisted as the Knight switched the mode on his rifle from sniping to pump-action. 

“That doesn’t matter. You won’t be the one remembered for it. In fact, you won’t be remembered at all. Not a single soul will mourn your death, nor remember your life. You. Are. Inconsequential.”

They punctuated their statement by raising their blaster, aiming directly at Hux’s chest. 

Hux stumbled backward in retreat, his foot hitting something solid, almost costing him his balance. His eyes flickered downward to see Ben’s lightsaber laying before him. 

“Maybe I’ll bring Snoke your head. It would make a fine trophy,” the Knight mused as they adjusted their grip and pulled the trigger. 

Hux quickly ducked, the powerful blast hitting a tree behind him, sending splintered wood flying. Before he could change his mind, Hux rolled over his shoulder and snatched up the discarded lightsaber, springing to his feet and activating it. 

The green blade emerged with a loud crackle, the hilt vibrating in his hands as the plasma hummed. It felt drastically different than he’d expected. He’d imagined the blade to be weightless and not disimular to an electrostaff in handling, but it was heavy; shockingly so, as if weighted down by his indecision and fear. 

Without giving the Knight much time to react, Hux charged forward and swung the blade in an unsteady arc. The Knight dodged his strike, spinning their rifle in a quick practiced motion to wield it like a club. Hux ducked a strong swing, the butt of the rifle coming far too close to his head for comfort. He stumbled sideways, quickly catching his balance and blocking another hard strike with the sparkling green blade. 

With a grunt he kicked out, hitting the Knight square in the gut with his booted foot and sending them back a few steps. 

The Knight growled threateningly, regaining their footing and striking out. Unable to react quickly enough, Hux cried out in pain as the butt of the rifle connected with his chest. He flailed as he lost his balance, landing hard on his back. He kept a death grip on the hilt of the lightsaber as he brought up the blade to block a downward strike, gritting his teeth as he pushed back against the Knight with all his might. 

The metal of the rifle’s body hissed as the blade of the saber slowly sunk into it, but the Knight did not relent, driving their weapon down hard and bringing the vivid green blade of the lightsaber closer and closer to Hux’s face. Panic rose as he realised he was going to lose this. There was no way he could overpower the Knight. And Solo certainly wouldn’t be getting him out of this one, the other man still preoccupied with the agonising electrified net. 

He was going to die. 

Suddenly a shot fired from behind Hux, hitting the Knight in the shoulder. Kuruk lurched backward, giving Hux just enough room to wrench back the lightsaber and stab upward into the Knight’s chest. 

A rush of breath hissed through the vocoder, the rifle dropping from the Knights slackened grip as they sunk down onto the saber, falling totally limp on top of Hux. 

Kuruk was dead. 

“Ben!” Han Solo called, his blaster lowering as he rushed to his son, Luke Skywalker and Poe Dameron not far behind. Hux watched as the man hurried to Ben’s side, grabbing a branch and using it to safely untangle the electrified net from his jerking body. 

The second it was removed Ben’s form went limp in the water, the agonized cries cutting off to total silence, the gentle rise and fall of his chest the only sign he was still alive. Han carefully dragged him out of the water, kneeling on the muddy ground and holding him to his chest as tightly as he dared. 

Skywalker turned toward Hux, holding out an arm. The lightsaber he was still clutching flew out of Hux’s relief slackened grip and into Luke’s, the Jedi Master twirling it and pointing it downward toward the Ex-General as Poe stepped forward with his own blaster pulled. 

“Get up,” Skywalker commanded. 

Hux shoved the now dead Knight off from on top of him, pushing himself slowly to his feet as the blade of the lightsaber followed his movements. 

“Now, you have one minute to explain to me how exactly the First Order managed to find you on an entirely uncharted planet with absolutely no form of communication available to you. If you don’t talk, I’ll kill you right here, right now.”

Hux raised his hands in surrender, taking in a deep breath. 

“The Cadet Trooper, Finn, has a tracking chip,” he said, almost having to force those words out of his own mouth. 

“A chip?” Poe repeated incredulously. 

Hux nodded. 

“All First Order Troopers are imbued with chips upon arrival when they are children. Amongst other things, it allows for their movements to be tracked during battle so that they may be directed more efficiently,” he explained carefully. 

“Efficient,” Poe scoffed hatefully, his hand gripping his blaster shaking with heated rage. 

“How do we remove it?” Luke questioned, his angry blue gaze unwavering in its intensity. 

“The procedure is extremely dangerous. The chip is adhered to the base of the spine. If it were done without the utmost precision and care, he would be paralised.”

“You knew about this,” Poe hissed through gritted teeth, pointing his blaster more aggressively toward Hux’s head. “You put all of us, the kids, and Ben in danger because of your delusions that the First Order would just take you back if you proved you were a  _ good little soldier _ . You were willing to just throw him to that monster you call a Supreme Leader after he risked his own life to save yours on  _ multiple _ occasions! Give me one good reason why we shouldn’t kill you where you stand.”

Hux gulped audibly, taking one shaky breath as his gaze trailed over to Ben just as the man’s dark brown eyes fluttered open. The pain the other man was feeling was palpable, and Hux exhaled, shifting on unsteady feet. 

“There are two places in the whole of the galaxy where the plans for Starkiller Base reside, one being the Finalizer, the other being in my head. I designed that weapon; I know every vent, every nook, and every crevice by heart. Therefore, if you allow me the chance…”

Hux took in a deep fortifying breath, anger that had until then been numbed by pure adrenaline burning like the plasma of the lightsaber held out toward his throat.

Memories flashed through his head rapidly like lightning across a stormy sky on Arkanis. 

_ ‘The First Order betrayed you! You failed them one too many times, so they took your plans for your monstrous weapon and they tossed you aside!’ _

Solo had said that to him in their shared cell on Parnassos. He had been right about everything. The First Order had well and truly abandoned him. After a lifetime of loyal service, of clawing his way to the top, of lying, stealing, cheating, and murdering, he’d been cast aside like a broken spanner.

He remembered each and every slight, each dehumanizing punishment, each manipulation tactic Snoke had used on him throughout the years; the very fact that he’d been kept at a rank not befitting of his duties as a way to show him his place.

His fury built up inside of him, coming to a head as he once more met Ben Solo’s blurry brown eyes, filled to the brim with such palpable pain and exhaustion it made him ache.

That voice in the back of his mind, the feeling that had been present since the very first time he’d met Solo, finally burst forth from the wall Hux had carefully built around it, screaming to be heard. It compelled him to follow its siren song down a path Hux never thought he’d go down. He embraced it, determination replacing his rage in an instant.

“I will help you to destroy it  _ and _ the First Order.”

………

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We’ve done it kids. We’ve pushed through intense writers block and we’ve finished this fucking chapter.
> 
> If you’ve seen my Insta, (@chronicrabbit) you know I’m kinda goin through it at the moment, but finishing this chapter makes me feel a lot better.
> 
> Please leave some encouragement if you’re so inclined and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
> 
> ~Cynical


	13. Living on the Limits

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~Chapter Vibes~
> 
> https://youtu.be/LCet4yrfp4o
> 
> ⭐️Possible Trigger Warning⭐️  
This chapter contains minor graphic violence in the form of a fight scene involving children. I kept it slightly more vague in description, but be warned. Stay safe, babes.

Hux sat in uneasy silence as two sets of eyes belonging to General Organa and Poe Dameron bored into him with such intensity he almost felt compelled to shy away from it. 

He suddenly longed for the calming presence of Ben Solo, a concept he was most definitely uncomfortable thinking too hard on. It had been no more than a day since the attack. He knew that Ben was more than likely still in the infirmary; the damage from the electrified net had been so extensive he’d needed to be carried from the scene. 

The man who’d withstood days and days of nonstop torture, starvation, and dehydration, who’d taken hit after hit from an entire squadron of Stormtroopers only to defeat them almost single handedly, who’d healed completely from a kriffing Rancor attack in a matter of days, had to be carried from the scene and taken to the infirmary for immediate treatment. He’d been delirious with pain, and it had been all Hux’s fault. 

Meanwhile, Hux had been restrained by Skywalker and led back to his cell where he’d been told to wait. Now here he sat, thirteen hours later, face to face with a stonily silent Poe and an expectant General Organa. 

“Finn’s surgery is complete. Our medics were successful in locating and removing the chip,” Leia started, folding her hands in her lap with a slight frown. 

“Now that we have been reassured you’re  _ capable _ of telling the truth, I would very much like to hear this information you’ve offered.”

Hux took a deep breath, fueled by the memory of Ben’s limp body in the arms of his father as he met Leia’s gaze and spoke. 

“Certainly. We don’t have much time, so I’ll cut to the chase. Starkiller is already in the midst of completion.”

“What? How can that be possible?” Poe questioned. “Ben and I were on Ilum a little more than a week ago and they’d only just started carving into it.”

Hux looked to the concerned pilot; the man, usually so bright and charismatic, was visibly exhausted, dark purple bags residing under his eyes, and typically well managed stubble now the beginnings of a scruffy beard. 

“Many parts of the base are being built on Vardos and Kuat to later be transported to the planet. By now I’d estimate they’ve managed to carve out a significant amount of the core and have begun to assemble the pieces. The structure upon completion will be nearly indestructible from the outside.”

“Then we should go now! We can’t afford to lose anymore time!” Poe said determinedly, standing from his chair and slamming his hands on the table with a loud clang. 

Not taking her eyes from Hux, Leia raised her hand to rest on Poe’s arm. The pilot seemed to understand the nonverbal request, slumping into his seat once more as if being unable to act immediately was torture of the highest degree. 

“You said nearly indestructible. What are you proposing?” Leia said, imploring him to continue. 

Hux bit at the inside of his cheek. His next words would be the hardest he’s ever had to speak. Not only would they lead to the destruction of his life’s work, but they would also fully solidify his defection from the Order; he would truly be a traitor. 

_ ‘Good,’  _ he thought bitterly. 

With a deep grounding breath, and no small amount of spite, Hux looked directly into Leia’s eyes and spoke. 

“One of the last structures to be built will be the Thermal Oscillator. It’s the heart of the weapon; the chamber that will harness the power drained from the suns before it is ejected outward toward its targets. It also happens to be the most delicate and vital part of the weapon. If damaged, the entire weapon would be compromised.”

At his statement, Leia’s brown eyes widened minutely, glimmering with what Hux recognised as hope. She leaned forward, meeting Hux’s gaze intensely. 

“If I were to supply you with a datapad, would you be able to accurately map out the plans from memory for us?”

Hux almost laughed, but held back and simply nodded once, his brow set in determination. 

“Very well,” she said with a slight smile, a gesture that had Hux utterly speechless. 

“I will make sure you get what you need. And, General?” she said, reaching out to place a hand on Hux’s arm and squeezing gently. “Thank you.”

With that, she rose from her chair and strode toward the door, Poe on her tail. Hux watched in shock as she waved with two fingers, the cell door sliding open before her. 

“One more thing,” Poe called back before they left. 

“After everything you’ve been through, everything that’s happened, why did you finally choose to tell us? Why now?”

Hux frowned minutely, eyes cast downward toward the table. 

“I don’t know,” he said. 

Every single person in the cell, including himself, knew that was a lie. 

………

Ben stared up at the familiar sight of the ceiling of the infirmary, just taking everything in. He’d only just been removed from the bacta tank he’d woken up in, his hair damp and his skin tingling, and he could still feel the phantom pains of the electrical current that had set his nerves endings alight a mere day ago. 

The fight was a blur. He remembered hearing the vague sounds of Hux arguing with the Knight. He’d watched as a powerful bolt was fired from that rifle directly toward the Ex-General. He could recall the shock that momentarily overtook the anguish of the net as Hux activated the green blade of his lightsaber and fought. The entire scene had progressed like a fever dream Ben had been trapped inside of. 

When the pain had finally subsided, he recalled seeing the blurry face of his father; feeling his relief as he cradled him in his arms. The last thing he’d seen before succumbing to the blackness of sleep had been Hux’s sea green eyes, meeting his barely conscious gaze with a look that projected remorse, fear, pain, and regret. 

Ben glanced up as the door of the infirmary opened, Poe entering with a peculiar expression on his face. His friend's eyes snapped up, a small relieved smile appearing when he seemed to notice his gaze. 

“You’re awake,” he sighed, walking around a sleeping Rey, who Ben had not previously noticed curled up in a chair at his bedside, and pulling another chair over, slumping into it wearily. 

“Unfortunately,” Ben rasped back, his throat raw. “What’s with the face?”

Poe let out a small laugh, his face scrunching back up into that almost perplexed look. 

“He talked.”

It took a moment for those words to sink in, but when they did, Ben almost didn’t trust that he’d heard correctly. 

“What?” he breathed, managing with no small amount of effort to sit up. 

“He talked, Ben. Hux told us about a vulnerable point in Starkiller. He’s going to draw up the plans from memory and help us come up with a plan to destroy it.”

Many emotions rushed through Ben all at once. 

Ever since their first meeting, he’d so badly wanted to believe the man could be redeemed. He’d done what the force had compelled him to do; he’d saved Hux’s life more times then his exhausted brain could currently tally up, he’d treated him kindly, he’d made sure he was comfortable even in captivity, and all throughout this, he’d been met with nothing but hostility and hatred. 

_ ‘So what changed?’ _ he thought to himself.

“I think you should go see him,” Poe continued, fixing him with a meaningful gaze that Ben couldn’t hope to understand in his current state. 

“Why?” Ben asked, coughing as the word got stuck in his throat. He didn’t want to see Hux. Did he? No. He was sure seeing the Ex-General now would just complicate his already muddled thoughts. 

“Because, Ben,” Poe sighed, leaning his elbows on his legs and looking him in the eye. “He just killed a Knight of Ren and betrayed the First Order. That’s something we certainly never expected to happen, but here we are, waiting for him to draw up plans to show us step by step how to destroy his life’s work. Go. Talk. To. Him.”

The two maintained eye contact for a full and very tense ten seconds before Ben relented with a groan, gingerly swinging his legs over the side of the cot. 

“Will you be coming with me?” he questioned, briefly searching for his robes before finding them cleaned and neatly folded on the table beside the cot, his separated sabers resting on top. He winced as he stood and carefully began to dress himself. 

“Not this time, pal. I’ve got somewhere I gotta be,” Poe replied, nodding toward the other cot in the infirmary holding a still unconscious Finn. 

Ben nodded in understanding, joining and fastening his saber to his wide black belt and plucking up his dark grey cowl. He patted his friend on the shoulder before heading toward the door. 

“Let Rey know I’m ok when she wakes up,” he called back, seeing Poe’s affirmative nod before the doors of the infirmary closed behind him. He took in a deep breath, his skin tingling as he allowed his feet to carry him in the direction of Hux’s cell. 

………

Hux had been hunched over the datapad supplied to him for over an hour. He was utterly determined to draw up the most detailed version of his plans he was reasonably able to achieve on such a device, and he knew for a fact his memory would serve him well in this purpose. He’d always had a particularly gifted memory. 

As he drew out the layout of the Thermal Oscillator chamber, his cell door hissed open, startling him out of his thoughts. He glanced up, expecting to see just about anyone but Ben Solo. 

The other man looked worse for wear; dark purple bags taking up residence under tired eyes, damp hair hanging limply around a sallow face, skin an unhealthy pale yellow hue, shoulders slumped as if they carried the weight of the very world. He supposed, in a way, they did. 

He guessed the other man hadn’t been out of the bacta tank he’d no doubt spent the night in for terribly long. He only hoped the electricity from Kuruk’s net didn’t do any lasting damage. Hux flinched at the memory of the screams of agony that had filled the air, and of his utter thoughtlessness towards them at the time. 

“You look dreadful,” he uttered, breaking the unbearable silence. Those intense dark eyes narrowed before travelling to the floor as the door hissed shut and locked behind him. 

“I hear you talked,” Ben said, his usually smooth deep voice scratchy and raw. 

Hux nodded in reply, his fingers tensing around the datapad he still held as Ben stood stock still at the entrance, looking a bit lost. 

“Why?” he finally said, those eyes meeting Hux’s once again in a way that momentarily halted his breathing. 

“I…” Hux trailed off. He could feel his own internal defenses rising as he avoided the penetrating gaze of the force user before him. 

“I don’t know,” he lied. 

Ben took a step forward, a movement Hux knew he had probably not intended to look threatening, but appearing gentle whilst having the height and build the other man did was no easy task. 

“You’re lying,” he stated bluntly. 

“I’m not,” Hux shot back rather petulantly, setting down the datapad and rising from his seat at the table as his pulse quickened. 

“You are,” Ben replied, the rasp of his voice turning his words to little more than a growl. “Don’t forget. I can hear your thoughts; feel your emotions.”

Anger slammed into Hux like a wayward landspeeder, heating his cheeks and igniting a fire in his belly. 

“Well if you can do all that, why don’t you just go searching for the truth? Why don’t you just rip it right out of my weak and pliable mind?” Hux spat, snatching up a nearby book and hurling it toward Ben before he could even think. 

The force user blocked the sudden attack, having the nerve to look surprised at the outburst. 

“Why didn’t you do that to retrieve the plans for Starkiller in the first place?” Hux continued, the volume of his voice rising as he quickly lost control over his torrential emotions previously kept carefully and tightly bottled up. His aim became more vicious, the other man continuing to bat every projectile he hurled toward him aside as he slowly advanced toward the nearly hysterical Ex-General. 

“We could’ve all been saved so much trouble! You’d have your precious information, and I’d be reduced to nothing more than a drooling vegetable like so many others I’ve witnessed!”

The screams of the victims brought before Snoke echoed in Hux’s ears, their agony twisted faces reflecting in those malicious blue eyes; ghosts from the past that he’d never been able to rid himself the memories of. 

“At least then I would be at peace, absent from my mind at last! At least then I would no longer have the constitution to recognise your kriffing face!”

Hux gasped as large strong hands encircled his wrists, effectively halting the barrage. They stood in silence for what felt like an eternity, but was most likely only seconds. 

“I’m sorry,” Ben said softly, his hands releasing Hux’s wrists as if holding them had burnt his skin. “I… I would never take from you what is not willingly given. That’s why we didn’t interrogate you. That’s why I didn’t…”

Though he previously had wanted nothing more than to knock the teeth out of the other man, Hux found himself unable to move or to even look away from that face. 

In another life, Hux thought Ben Solo could benefit from a mask. His face was far too expressive, openly showing each and every emotion that crossed it. His eyes were the most intense he’d ever seen, those dark depths, speckled with surprising little traces of gold and green, shone with such feeling it almost made Hux want to look away, as if he were a voyeur witnessing an incredibly intimate moment. 

“It’s why I would never do what he did,” Ben said, those words filled with such meaning it made Hux’s knees weak.

Hux averted his gaze as Ben took a few steps back, giving him the space to breath. Hux dropped the book he had still been holding, all of the fight draining from his body at once. 

“I know you wouldn’t,” he said finally, eyes flickering back up to Ben’s. 

“That’s why I did it. Because you were right; about everything. The First Order did betray me, but not only when they made me a scapegoat for the failures of Snoke’s infernal Knights. They had been doing so since I was first indoctrinated. They stole my childhood from me; my life, my freedom, my will. Snoke stamped it all out with pretty promises of order and peace; of power that, in reality, would never have been mine. But you, Ben Solo…”

He paused, hands balling into fists at his side as he fought to keep what little composure he had left. 

“You have never taken advantage of me. Every promise you have made me, you’ve kept. You’ve saved my life on multiple occasions, even when met with my hatred. In my experience, beings with your power aren’t this needlessly kind. They take what they want because they know they can, but you’ve just been… relentlessly decent, even while I have been obstinate and cruel.”

Hux let out a long breath, his shoulders slumping as the last dregs of energy were drained from him. In that moment he felt far too open. He hadn’t had anything close to a meltdown of that proportion since he was a child, and he couldn’t help the feeling of utter vulnerability that overtook him as he stood there in his cell, having just poured his heart out to Ben Solo Organa who stared at him with his mouth agape as if trying to process every word that he’d spoken. 

Before Hux could say another word, Ben turned and waved the door open, disappearing through it without a word. 

Hux blinked in surprise as he was left very suddenly alone. He tried his best to quash the hurt he felt, as well as the bitterness. Slowly, he made his way back towards the table he’d left the datapad on, lowering himself into his seat and tapping the screen to wake it up. 

Barely a moment later, the door whooshed open once again, Ben quickly walking through with two steaming cups of something. He approached the table, carefully setting down one cup before Hux and stepping back to look down at him expectantly.

Hux’s brow raised as he immediately recognised the familiar smell that wafted up to his nose. 

“You… got me tea?” he said, almost disbelieving his own eyes. 

Ben didn’t respond, taking a sip from his own cup of what looked like caf. Hux reached out with little hesitation, taking the warm cup in hand and bringing it to his lips. 

The second the warm tarine tea passed his lips, his persistent headache lightened. He hadn’t realised how much he’d missed this. 

“To say thank you for… for becoming the traitor you feared you would,” Ben said. 

Hux couldn’t quite hold back the laugh that bubbled up in his throat, the noise seeming to almost startle Ben. 

“I should’ve done it long ago, perhaps when Snoke sentenced me to death over accusations I knew he knew had been false.”

At the name of the Supreme Leader, Ben’s face darkened. Hux frowned deeply, setting down his tea and turning fully to face the other man. 

“You know of Snoke,” he stated more than asked. “You mentioned him before; said you would never be like him. Not many aside from myself and a few others in First Order High Command even know of his existence, so how do you?”

Silence stretched on between the two of them for a full minute, Ben staring into his cup almost unblinkingly with fear clouded eyes. Hux had nearly given up on receiving an answer when Ben spoke, his smooth voice resonating through to his very bones. 

“When I was a child, no more than a year old, I was plagued by nightmares that kept me awake for days on end. It exhausted my parents, having to deal with my constant crying. My mother could hardly bear it; she sensed my pain too strongly, even then. 

“A few years after the nightmares began, when I’d turned five, I started to hear a voice. It was friendly, keeping me company and telling me stories while my parents were away. The voice promised me that I would grow up to be extraordinary; the most powerful force user in generations. That voice was Snoke.”

Hux watched with interest as Ben scoffed at his own recollection, knuckles turning white as he tightly gripped his cup. 

“He became a sort of confidant; someone to go to when my parents were absent, as they often were back then. When I was ten years old I was told I was to be sent away to my uncle for training. My mother told me I was going to become a Jedi; I was going to learn to control my wayward emotions and my anger. Snoke told me she was lying and that my being sent away was because my parents feared my power; feared me. 

“Throughout five long years of training at the temple I never told a soul about my worsening nightmares or about Snoke. He had convinced me that my uncle would kill me without a second thought should he find out. Finally, it all became too much to bear and I told Poe everything. It took a long while, but he eventually convinced me to tell my uncle. But, before I could get the chance…”

Ben trailed off, his voice catching in his throat. His expression was pinched, as if the sheer act of remembering the events he spoke of was excruciating.

“Can I… Talking is too painful. Can I show you instead?” Ben asked, those deep dark eyes filled with such anxiety it made Hux’s heart ache. 

Hux nodded, watching the other man closely as he set aside his cup and approached. He took in a deep breath as Ben’s hands slowly, tentatively reached out, fingertips pressing delicately into Hux’s temples. 

“Are you sure?” he whispered. “I know you distrust the force.”

Hux nodded once again, closing his eyes and inhaling through his nose as his pulse raced in anticipation. 

~

_ Images flashed before Hux’s eyes; the landscape of an unfamiliar planet coming into view. He stood on a large flat isle, surrounded on every side by a vast pool of crystal blue water. The lines of a large temple on the cliffside slowly came into focus, the sight utterly breathtaking.  _

_ “Ahch-To,” the familiar voice of Ben echoed in his mind. “Master Luke took all of his Padawans there to study the ancient Jedi texts.” _

_ “Ben!” a new voice called, this one sounding outside of his head. Hux tried to turn to see who it belonged to, but couldn’t seem to control his body.  _

_ He caught a look at himself in the reflection of the surprisingly still water below and immediately understood why. The face that stared back at him belonged to a shockingly young Ben, no more than fifteen years old.  _

_ Hux, Ben, turned away from the cliffside, Hux taking in the sight of fourteen children around the same age as Ben going through the motions of a training similar to the one he had remembered witnessing days ago.  _

_ The one that had called out to him, a boy with messy blond hair, spectacles, and a lopsided grin, motioned for him to approach.  _

_ Before Hux, Ben, could take a step, the sky seemed almost to darken. Hux’s heart skipped a beat as his eyes took in the familiar sight of the command shuttle belonging to the Knights of Ren, the imposing ship landing on the isle and letting down its boarding ramp with a hiss.  _

_ Six figures stepped down the ramp, draped in shadow and armed to the teeth; the Knights of Ren.  _

_ One Hux was unfamiliar with stepped forward, an imposing looking cannon in the place of his right arm.  _

_ Immediately a few of the children in the group broke off into a sprint toward the temple, their echoing voices calling for their Master; Luke Skywalker.  _

_ They were unable to make it far, taken out by a single blast from that arm cannon.  _

_ Hux could feel Ben’s fear as clearly as if it were his own. He felt Ben’s hand search for the hilt of his lightsaber. He felt his utter panic at not finding it.  _

_ The Knights advanced, moving to surround the group of Padawan learners. Hux heard the vague echo of Ben’s name through the harsh filtre of a vocoder, a Knight wielding a war club pointing toward Ben.  _

_ Several lightsabers activated at once, the other children forming a sort of protective wall around Ben.  _

_ Hux couldn’t hold back a gasp as a powerful bolt erupted from the cannon, sending four of the children flying.  _

_ The other Knights wasted no time, the three of them with close range weaponry advancing while the other three stayed back to provide cover fire. One unsheathed an enormous vibrocleaver, swinging it downward to meet a strike from a child wielding a blue lightsaber. The Knight that touted the war club savagely swung the heavy weapon as two more children attempted to block his attack.  _

_ Hux watched in awe as lightsabers slashed and spun, deflecting powerful cannon blasts and the rain of blaster bolts that came from the knights in the back. Ben himself did as much as he was able in his current unarmed state, raising his arms and blocking shot after shot aimed at his fellow students.  _

_ The sound around Hux’s ears was distorted and strange, muffled like a fading dream.  _

_ “Ben, run! Get Master Luke!” the blonde boy, Mattias, yelled, his voice piercing through the fog as he stood at the ready with his bright green saber held proudly.  _

_ Muffled screams filled the air as more and more of Ben’s fellow students were cut down before his eyes in a blur. Fear clenched Hux’s heart; he couldn’t tell if it belonged to him or to Ben.  _

_ “Run!” Mattias shouted again as another powerful blast took out three more children, their deactivated lightsabers hitting the ground in tandem like a death toll.  _

_ The Knight wielding the club howled in pain as two blue lightsabers were stabbed through his armour. He fell dead, but his fellows advanced still, quickly cutting down anyone in their path until there was only Ben and Mattias.  _

_ “You’ve lost, boy. Stand aside,” the Knight wielding the vibrocleaver commanded, voice barely audible to Hux’s ears as if he were underwater.  _

_ Mattias gripped his lightsaber tighter, his stance set.  _

_ “Never,” he ground out.  _

_ The green blade clashed against the blade of the vibrocleaver, sparks flying as the vibrating metal screeched. The vision flickered before Hux’s eyes, the scene going dark for a moment. He realised Ben’s eyes were closed, the phantom feeling of tears pouring down his cheeks momentarily stunning Hux.  _

_ As the image returned, Hux’s vision blurred with Ben’s tears, Mattias stumbled back from a hard blow to the face. The blonde boy's brown eyes connected with Ben’s and Hux could see the knowledge in his terribly young face that death was near. The boy retracted his green blade, holding out the hilt to Ben.  _

_ “Take it. Fight. And may the force be with you, Ben. Always.” _

_ A faded scream ripped out of Ben’s throat as Mattias was run through, the light leaving his eyes, his hand falling from the hilt of his saber, leaving it to rest in Ben’s shaking hand.  _

_ The Knights spoke around him, though Hux couldn’t understand them if he tried. Everything was too much; the weight of the lightsaber in Ben’s hand, the darkness that had overtaken the isle, the bone chilling fear he could feel so clearly it made him sick.  _

_ Ben turned, Hux’s eyes widening as a new presence appeared, the sound of another lightsaber igniting announcing Luke’s arrival. The Jedi Master had tears in his vivid blue eyes as he raced toward the battle, raising a hand and force throwing the knight nearest to Ben directly off of the cliff and onto the sharp rocks far below.  _

_ Ben snapped into action, his hands shaking as he ignited the green blade of his fallen friends lightsaber. Uncle and Nephew, Master and Padawan, stood back to back, taking on the four remaining Knights of Ren in a field surrounded by the fallen.  _

_ Luke grunted with effort as he blocked the strike of a vibroscythe, redirecting a heavy blaster bolt with the force to hit the Knight who’d fired it. Ben in turn swung the green saber in an arc, crying out with raw emotion as he cut through the arm cannon of the nearest Knight before he could resume fire. He spun agily, twirling the saber and sinking it through the heavy chest plate of the Knight, watching him fall to the ground dead.  _

_ As the battle turned against their favour, the three remaining Knights retreated, leaving behind the bodies of their own fallen as they climbed aboard their shuttle and fled.  _

_ Ben deactivated Mattias’s lightsaber and sunk to his knees. Hux was startled to feel the sobs wracking his small body as if they were his own. _

_ “This is all my fault,” he wailed, unable to control himself as tears flooded his cheeks.  _

_ “It’s all my fault. I should’ve told you. I should’ve- I should’ve-“ _

_ He was cut off as Luke knelt before him, engulfing him in a hug that resonated warmth and safety.  _

_ “It’s alright,” Luke said, his own voice wavering with unshed tears.  _

_ “You’re going to be alright.” _

~

Hux gasped for breath as he snapped back into his own body. His eyes met the glassy brown of Ben’s, not surprised to see tears flooding the other man’s pale cheeks. 

“After that, I told him everything I’d been keeping from him; the voice that tempted me with the power of the dark side, the nightmares showing me my future as a weapon of darkness, a masked, black clad hound of some unseen dictator just like those knights that murdered my friends. 

“He tried to comfort me, to tell me that this voice, this unknown dark entity was to blame, not me. But even now I can’t help but feel that, had I just told my uncle sooner, I could’ve…”

He cut himself off, turning his back on Hux and wiping his tears on the grey ribbed sleeve of his undershirt. 

“The only thing that saved me from my fall to the dark side was meeting Poe on Yavin 4 as a child. Without him, I’d be exactly what Snoke had shown me in those nightmares. A monster.”

Hux had no idea how to respond to anything he’d just seen. His thoughts raced far too quickly in his head as images of a memory that didn’t belong to him flashed through his mind. 

He had known Snoke was a monster, but this… this was beyond anything he could’ve imagined. 

“Your lightsaber,” he finally said, looking to the long hilt attached to the other man’s belt. 

Ben’s hand moved down, removing it from his belt and breaking it into the two separate hilts. 

“The green one belonged to your friend. You built it into your own.”

“His last act was to protect me,” Ben said softly, running his fingers over the raised lines on the hilt. “Carrying it with me brings me luck. Reminds me that I have people that love me and care about me; that I’ll never become that creature Snoke wanted me to be, a ticking time bomb to be used for his twisted purposes.”

Hux started to speak before a sudden thought washed over him. 

“Time bomb,” he whispered, his eyes going wide. 

“Thermal Detonators.”

Ben’s watery eyes connected with his and he knew the man understood exactly where his mind had gone. 

“Thermal Detonators?” Ben repeated. “Could that work?”

“If strategically placed throughout the Thermal Oscillator, yes ,” Hux answered, nodding quickly as he snatched up the datapad. 

Ben hurried over, pulling a chair around to sit beside Hux as he input new information feverishly. 

“Show me how.”

………

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m sorry this took a while! I’ve been having quite the month, my dudes.
> 
> Your comments, kudos, and fic recs are greatly appreciated! They really fuel me to keep going even when my writers block is the worst XD. Thank you!
> 
> ~Cynical


	14. Paint it Black

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~Chapter Vibes~
> 
> https://youtu.be/170sceOWWXc

Hux stood rigidly in the very centre of the small Council room, determinedly ignoring the suspicious and hateful glares he was receiving from the surrounding members of the Resistance as they considered him.

Ben was a solid presence beside him, looking every ounce the Commander he was as he addressed the packed room. 

“There isn’t much time, so I’ll cut to the chase,” he said, his deep voice ringing out loud and clear. 

“The construction of Starkiller Base is very close to completion. We had anticipated the build taking much longer, but that’s because we were not previously made aware of the fact that the First Order had assistance. We estimate the entire base should be totally operational in as little as three to five days.”

The faces surrounding them became grim at that statement, more than a few eyes turning toward Hux once again. 

“However, hope is not lost. We’ve managed to find a weakness in Starkiller that we believe we can use to destroy it.”

At that, Hux handed Ben the datapad, the other man tapping the screen a few times before the schematics Hux had drawn up the previous night appeared over the large round holocon, the image casting a blue green glow across the room. 

Several gasps sounded throughout the small space as people moved in closer to get a better look. The older Resistance members, men and women who no doubt remembered the horror of the Deathstar, looked upon the image of Starkiller with terror clear on their lined faces. 

Ben manipulated the holo, navigating through the plans until he reached the Thermal Oscillator. 

“Right here,” he said, motioning to the spot on the holo. “If this area were to take a significant amount of damage, the entire base would go with it. The planet is crawling with Troopers as it reaches its final building stage, but the First Order won’t be expecting an attack at this juncture, which is exactly why we need to strike now.”

“I agree,” Leia said, approaching the holocon with a thoughtful frown. “How would you go about doing so?”

“The proposed plan is this, General,” Ben said, glancing toward Hux who nodded slightly. 

“I will lead a team of no more than four people to Ilum. We enter the base in disguise through here,” he said, pointing to the entrance Hux had shown him. “We take this access corridor, down a few levels until we reach the Thermal Oscillator. We plant thermal detonators in these highlighted areas, and when they blow, Starkiller will be dust.”

Amazed murmurs erupted from around the chamber, loud in the small space. 

A throat cleared from the crowd, Hux’s eyes catching sight of a rather dignified older man in a brown uniform stepping forward with a stern expression. 

“With all due respect, Commander Solo, how do we know that any of this information is reliable?” he questioned, glancing sideways toward Hux in a rather obviously distrusting manner. 

“Because these plans were drawn up by the designer of the weapon himself,” Ben replied curtly.

“Yes, Sir. His involvement is precisely my concern. I mean, how do we know that this isn’t all one big trap? That the First Order isn’t just waiting to take us all out the moment we appear?”

Hux’s lips pressed into a thin line as he was filled with sudden anger. What the man had posited was completely rational; Hux had no doubt he would wonder the same thing had their situations been reversed, but he was offended all the same. 

His gaze snapped up as Ben took a step in front of him, halfway blocking him with his body as he faced the older man who had spoken. 

“Do you doubt my ability to sense such threats, Captain?”

The man’s wrinkle lined eyes widened minutely before he bowed his head with a murmur of “No, Commander,” and, albeit reluctantly, stepped back into the group. 

An odd warmth spread throughout Hux’s body as Ben stepped back to stand beside him. Brown eyes briefly met his and he felt the urge to smile; to thank the other man for defending him. 

He glanced over as Poe stepped confidently forward from his place beside Leia.

“I’d like to volunteer for a place in that party,” he stated with a cocky smirk that Ben mirrored momentarily. “You know I’m always up for some good ole First Order sabotage.”

“Us too, kid,” Han called, Chewbacca grunting in what Hux supposed was agreement. 

Ben nodded with a genuine smile. 

“Actually, Poe, there's something else we’d need you for,” he said.

“The First Order had assistance in building Starkiller from Kuat and Vardos. At this moment, both of those planets are severely under guarded as most of the First Order’s manpower has been transferred to Starkiller to help with its completion. If we really want this attack to hurt, I propose that we send out the X-Wings and destroy the shipyards and outposts on those planets in tandem with the attack on Starkiller. In one fell swoop, we’ll have destroyed their superweapon, their supplier, and their primary sponsor.”

“And you believe this will work?” Leia questioned, now looking directly at Hux. All eyes followed hers, locking onto his face with varying expressions of distrust, concern, and even hope. 

“Wholeheartedly, General,” he replied, meeting only her gaze with a look of utter determination. 

“Very well,” she said, turning to address the room. “Commander Solo, Commander Dameron, prepare to depart. I will contact Halla and update her on the plan. It looks like we’re taking out Starkiller.”

………

Hux stared out of the viewport of the Millennium Falcon, numb and admittedly terrified. 

They’d departed from the Resistance Base, Ben, his father, and Chewbacca, with a certain amount of nervous energy, typical pre battle jitters; but upon arriving in the Unknown Regions, those nerves had escalated from anxiousness to pure adrenaline. 

They’d flown in entirely under the radar, having turned off nearly every ship function aside from life support and steering. Hux had watched in absolute wonder as Ben maneuvered the Falcon through the darkness of space, managing to sneak past every single First Order ship in the near vicinity to get into Ilum’s orbit. 

He supposed seeing that had explained many things about how Ben had managed to intercept so many supply shuttles in the past. Hux very clearly remembered each run in the crew of the Finaliser had had with the famed Black Squadron Leader, back when he’d been a faceless Resistance annoyance. 

He’d given the order more times than he could count to open fire on the pilot before the modified X-Wing would completely drop from their radar. The first time it had happened, Hux had thought they’d finally succeeded in taking him out once and for all. All of the times that followed, he’d known better than to assume the pilot could ever be hit. 

He supposed he was glad for that. He didn’t know where he’d be if he’d actually succeeded in killing the other man. 

His eyes refocused on the sight that met him outside of the viewport; the surface of Ilum, gleaming a beautiful blue tinted white, now marred with the very weapon he’d created, like an ugly scar carved across a young pale face. 

He had once thought his first time seeing Starkiller would be wondrous. The occasion would mark the eve of his life’s greatest achievement; the destruction of the Hosnian System would have been a grave blow to the Resistance. He now certainly did take in the view with a sense of wonder, but that wonder was mixed with no small amount of horror. 

“You’re thinking very loudly,” a voice said from behind him, breaking him out of his thoughts. He turned to face Ben, the other man pulling his dark grey cowl on over his heavy robes. 

Hux absently adjusted the black gaberwool tunic he’d been leant by the other man; evidently it had been his training attire as a teenager. Hux hadn’t realised his build was so much slighter than Ben’s until he’d had to put another hole in the man’s wide belt cinching his waist to make it fit properly. 

He ran his fingers absently over the long black ribbed sleeves of the shirt beneath the heavy tunic, his eyes flickering to the lightly scuffed toes of his own boots. 

“I know this must be difficult,” Ben continued, moving to stand beside him in front of the viewport. 

Hux laughed despite himself, letting his hands drop to his sides. 

“You could say that,” he nodded, fingers bunching up the smooth material of his borrowed black croshhide leggings, a nervous gesture he couldn’t quite smother. 

“I always thought I’d be so proud to see it completed, but… after everything, the very thought that I was the one who created it makes me sick to my stomach,” he admitted, crossing his arms tightly across his chest. 

He tensed minutely at the feeling of Ben’s hand on his shoulder, forcing himself to relax at the touch, reminding himself it was friendly. 

“Don’t worry,” he said, his soft voice terribly gentle, hardly audible over the hum of the Falcon. “Pretty soon it’ll be little more than free floating rubble and a bad memory. Here.”

Hux glanced down as Ben held something out toward him with his free hand. His eyebrow quirked at the sight of his monomolecular blade in addition to Kuruk’s specialised rifle. 

He met the other man’s gaze, staring into those dark brown gold flecked depths as he took the proffered weapons. 

His racing pulse slowed ever so slightly at the familiar weight and feeling of a blaster rifle. His panic had almost completely subsided from a deafening blare to a quiet buzz as Ben regarded him. He had no idea when the Jedi’s presence had become calming to him, but he resolved not to think too hard on that for the time being. 

“Hey kids, we’re in orbit. I’m taking us down,” Han called from the cockpit. 

“Roger,” Ben called back, pulling a small com from within his robes and pressing the button. 

“General, this is Commander Solo. Do you read me?”

There was a small pause before the com crackled to life. 

_ “We read you, Commander,” _ his mother’s voice replied. 

“Commander Dameron? Commander Halla?” Ben said. 

_ “Loud and clear, buddy.” _

“Good,” he said with a small smile. “We’ve made it to Ilum. Landing now.”

_ “Gotcha,”  _ Poe said. 

_ “We’re less than a parsec from Vardos and Commander Halla and her squadron are a similar distance from Kuat. We’re all waiting for your signal.” _

The corners of Ben’s lips quirked in a small smile. 

“Alright. We’ll be in touch. Over and out.”

He stashed the com just as they touched down on the surface of Ilum, the frozen ground crackling slightly under the ship. 

Hux followed Ben along the corridor toward the main hold, Han and Chewbacca meeting them there. 

“Ben,” Han called as he tossed a bundle of clothing his way. Ben caught it with ease, unfolding it to reveal a First Order technicians jumpsuit and orange utility vest. 

_ ‘More than likely stolen from an intercepted supply ship,’ _ Hux couldn’t help but think. 

Han turned to face Hux, looking him over consideringly before digging in the trunk he’d pulled the technicians uniform from and removing a very old set of Stormtrooper armour, handing it to him. 

“When did you get this? This plastoid composite hasn’t been in use since I was a child,” Hux remarked, looking over the dented armour with a questioning frown. 

“Just put it on. No one’ll be able to tell but you,” Han grumbled, beginning to pull on his own set of Trooper armour. 

They each made quick work of putting on their assorted disguises, Ben pulling his jumpsuit on over his robes and donning his utility vest while Han and Hux fastened their armour in place, picking up their helmets. Hux carefully stashed away his blade and pulled the rifle onto his shoulder by the strap. 

“Ok. We should go over the plan one last time,” Han stated, tucking his helmet under his arm. 

Ben opened his mouth to reply when suddenly his posture went rigid, his expression shifting to one of confusion as he slowly turned toward the wall opposite them. He sighed loudly, walking over and slamming his fist on a panel which popped open at his beckoning; a smugglers hiding place for stolen cargo.

Hux‘s eyebrows shot up as Rey rolled out of the hidden compartment with a yelp, surrounded by empty ration packages. She glanced up at Ben from the floor as the man crossed his arms angrily. 

“Hello there,” she said with a guilty smile and a little wave. 

“Rey, what are you doing here?” he said deceptively calmly, carefully helping the girl to her feet despite his aggravation. 

“Stowing away!” she retorted, mirroring his posture. “I couldn’t just stay at the base and do nothing while you all risked your lives out here!”

“Yes you could’ve. You definitely could’ve done that,” Ben said with a groan, rubbing his hands over his face. 

“Kid, you don’t even know the danger you’ve put yourself in,” Han stated, walking forward to place a hand on her shoulder. 

“I do! But I wanted to help,” she insisted. “After all, you got to go on plenty of dangerous missions when you were my age, Ben!”

“That’s different!” Ben said sternly. “Those were smuggling jobs! This is blowing up an entire First Order base! Oh Uncle Luke is going to kill me,” he grumbled, running his fingers through his hair as he began to pace. 

“Rey, go stand over there with Uncle Chewie for a moment. We need to have a discussion,” Han instructed. 

Rey frowned but ultimately obeyed, dragging her feet to stand beside the Wookie who immediately began to grunt and growl at her in a way Hux immediately recognised as a reprimand, though he didn’t understand a word. 

She seemed to understand well enough, hanging her head and mumbling, “Yes, Uncle Chewie. No, Uncle Chewie. Yes, Uncle Chewie,” as she moped. 

“So,” Han spoke, grabbing Hux’s attention. “What the hell do we do?”

“From my point of view, there’s not much we can do now. We don’t have much time,” Hux said. 

Ben heaved another huge sigh, walking over to the crate of clothes and pulling out what looked to be Finn’s old cadet uniform. He tossed it to Rey who caught it with a hopeful gleam in her eyes. 

“Hurry and pull that on. Stick close to us and don’t wander off,” Ben ordered, Rey nodding as she scrambled to pull the uniform on over her robes. 

“And don’t tell Uncle Luke we brought you with us. I’d really like to avoid that lecture if possible.”

The group made their way toward the boarding ramp, Chewbacca calling out from the cockpit what must’ve been a “Good luck.”

Ben stopped to stand beside Hux before the door, glancing from him, to Han, to Rey. 

“You ready, General?” he asked. 

Hux nodded, pulling the Stormtrooper helmet on. 

“As I’ll ever be, Commander. Hopefully the local wildlife won’t prove to be an issue this time around.”

Ben snorted, adjusting his fingerless gloves. 

_ “Don’t worry. I’ll protect you from the Gorgodons.”  _

Hux glanced sideways at him as his voice echoed around his mind. Ben stared straight ahead, placing a hand on Rey’s shoulder. 

“Drop the ramp Chewie!” he called back. 

“Let’s get this over with.”

………

The path toward their planned entry point was thankfully devoid of any and all personnel. Ben kept a careful watch on Rey in front of him, making sure the girl didn’t slip and fall on the ice as they maneuvered through the dense trees. 

He was very aware his uncle now knew where she’d gone, and he tried to prepare for the stern talking to he’d no doubt be subjected to the moment he’d returned to D’Qar. He couldn’t afford to dwell on such things at that moment; they had a base to blow up. 

When they’d reached the door, Hux stepped before the access panel and quickly entered a code. It slid open not a moment later and they filed in, all relieved to be out of the raging blizzard. 

“This way,” Hux said quickly through the vocoder in his Trooper helmet, leading them through the path he’d shown Ben with the plans he’d drawn up. 

The inside of the base was just as deserted as the outside; at least the section they were currently in was. Ben could sense life all throughout the rest of the structure, Stormtroopers patrolling the halls, technicians working on assembly and repairs, Officers grousing about the cold. 

He tuned into his surroundings, sensing his father’s determination, Rey’s anticipation, Hux’s resolve. 

The ex-General walked with purpose, gripping the strap of Kuruk’s rifle on his shoulder as he made his way through corridors of his own making; his vision come to fruition. It didn’t take a force user to sense the internal struggle taking place in the man’s head. His hand clenched around the strap of the rifle and Ben felt the sudden urge to somehow soothe all of his stress; as if that would be at all possible. 

He shook away that thought as they reached the large doors leading into the Thermal Oscillator. Hux opened the door for them, the four of them quickly filing inside. Ben looked about the enormous dimly lit chamber, his eyes catching on the long narrow walkway that stretched across a huge and seemingly bottomless chasm. He stifled a shiver, the sight sending through him a very odd sense of dread. 

Han hoisted the bag of charges off of his shoulder, he and Rey quickly going about preparing to place them. 

“We have a limited amount of time,” Hux stated. “The code I’ve been using belongs to an old friend. Once the personnel in security realise she is not currently stationed here, Troopers will be dispatched to search the area.”

“Understood,” Ben replied, taking a few detonators as Han handed them out and beginning the delicate process of planting them in the discussed areas. Hux followed behind him, waiting until he’d placed his last detonator before touching a gloved hand to his shoulder. 

“We didn’t discuss this in initial planning, but I have something else we should do while they finish up rigging the explosives,” he said softly, nodding toward Han and Rey. 

Ben turned toward him in interest, silently urging him to continue. Hux took a deep breath and obliged. 

“As this is a fully functional base, I have access to certain… information here that could be vital to us; a full list of First Order occupied planets, financial supporters, a live star map showing the positions of every active Star Destroyer-“

“We can get that?” Ben asked, the amazement clear in his tone. At Hux’s murmured affirmative, Ben nodded and headed over toward his father. 

“Pop,” he said softly. “We have something we need to do. Hux thinks it’s possible to steal some vital information from the Starkiller’s databanks. It shouldn’t take long.”

Han frowned but didn’t argue, patting Ben on the shoulder with a half smile. 

“Be careful. Both of you,” he said, looking to Hux as well. 

“We will be,” Ben replied, smiling reassuringly before following Hux out of the chamber. 

They made their way through the dark winding corridors as silently and inconspicuously as possible, encountering only a few mouse droids along the way. It felt almost suspiciously simple. He had expected far more Troopers to be patrolling the area. It was hard to believe that the First Order was really arrogant enough to leave themselves so open to attack; then again, he supposed they’d never in a million years have expected their own General to turn against them. 

Ben adjusted his utility vest as they came to a stop before a set of doors, Hux quickly typing in his code and walking through as they slid open. 

He walked directly to the long holocon in the centre of what looked to be the High Command meeting room, tapping on the large blue screen. 

“This should only take a moment,” he said, gloved fingers flying across the smooth surface expertly. 

Ben could almost see those clever green eyes behind that helmet, reflecting the cool blue light of the console as they flitted back and forth across scrawling lines of information.

He shook the distracting thoughts from his head, moving to stand on the other side of the console. He glanced up at a frustrated huff from the other man, eyebrow raised in concern. 

“What is it?” he questioned.

“It’s been more than a week since you took me from the Finaliser, and they haven’t even updated their security measures. What is Peavey doing?”

Ben stared at the other man incredulously as he continued to mutter about protocol and preparedness of all things.

“You’re upset because… this was too easy?” he said, unable to hold back a laugh of disbelief. 

Hux shot him a glare he could feel through the man’s helmet, outright refusing to dignify that remark with an answer. 

“Alright. I’ve got it,” he said, reaching down and plucking up a data disk as it emerged from the side of the console.

“Great,” Ben said, pulling out his com and pressing down the button. 

“Hey dad, you there?” he said. 

_ “Yeah kid. We’re done planting the charges. Where are you?” _

“We’ve got what we needed. Head to the Falcon. We’ll meet you there.”

_ “Heard. See you in a bit.” _

Ben stashed the com away, looking to Hux. 

“Alright. Let’s go-“

He stumbled back in surprise as the doors suddenly slid open, revealing four armed Stromtroopers. 

Hux quickly hid the disk behind his back as they walked in, looking over the two of them. 

“What’re you two doing in here?” one Trooper asked, looking to Hux. 

“Just a last minute inspection of the console to make sure everything is in working order,” Ben lied smoothly.

“Security said Captain Phasma was here. Where is she?” another Trooper inquired. 

“She just stepped out,” Hux spoke up, his accent suddenly completely absent of an Imperial dialect. “Something about reporting the base’s progress to General Peavey.”

The Troopers gave assorted grunts of understanding. 

“Then you’d better get back to your post before she comes back. You know how she can get now that General Hux isn’t here to rein her in.”

Ben’s eyes flashed over to Hux as the other man tensed beneath his armour. 

“Yes. I’d better go,” he said, nodding toward Ben and moving to the exit. Ben followed quickly behind him, nodding shortly to the troopers. They’d almost made it through the doors when a Trooper reached an armoured hand out and grabbed Hux’s shoulder, effectively stopping him. 

Ben froze in place, body tense and ready for a fight as he slowly turned toward Hux and the Trooper. 

“TK-421?” the Trooper said with a note of disbelief. “I didn’t know you were stationed down here? Last I saw you, you were on the Absolution.”

“Ah, yes,” Hux spoke, not a bit of hesitation in his tone. “My transfer was pretty recent. You know how Admiral Rax is.”

“Oh yeah,” the Trooper laughed. “Well I’m glad to see you here. By the way, you really gotta get this armour cleaned up. It looks at least 30 years old.”

Hux’s shoulders visibly deflated at that, his hand coming up to pat the Trooper’s hand on his shoulder in a friendly manner. 

“Yeah, I’ll make sure to get it fixed up before I’m reprimanded. Good to see you, 780.”

The Trooper nodded curtly and released his hold on Hux, allowing him to follow Ben the rest of the way out of the room. The two made their way down the corridor at a steady pace, holding their breath nearly the entire way until they turned the corner and allowed their shoulders to sag in relief. 

“That was close,” Ben whispered. 

“Too close,” Hux agreed. “Let’s get back to the ship before we run into anymore obstacles.”

They hurried the way they’d come, keeping their strides purposeful as they went. Ben attempted to project outwardly to anyone approaching them a need to go a different route then theirs; the thought that they’d perhaps forgotten something on another level. 

“We’re almost there,” Hux said softly.

The words filled Ben with a stark sense of relief. 

“I can hardly believe it. They left the base so under guarded, this was almost easy.”

As they turned a corner to face the final door separating them from the planets surface, every muscle in Ben’s body clenched in sudden fear. A warning pulsed through his entire being, ice cold in its intensity, as if he’d been submerged in a freezing cold lake. The air was punched out of his lungs and he stumbled, catching himself on the wall. 

“Something’s wrong,” he said, reaching out and grabbing Hux’s armoured hand. “We have to go. Now. Hurry!”

Before Hux could speak, Ben was pulling him along the long corridor, their boots clunking heavily against the shiny black tile. 

Throwing caution to the wind, Ben used the force to wrench open the sealed door, dragging Hux through as the bases alarms began to blare. They ran at a frantic pace, the task made difficult by the shin-high layer of snow on the ground and the icy wind whipping across their cheeks. 

Ben skidded to a halt, Hux barely managing to stay upright at the sudden stop. His heart jumped into his throat as their immediate path into the forest was blocked by a black clad figure wielding a vibro-sythe; a Knight of Ren. He turned on his heel to run the other way only to see another Knight with a nasty looking vibro-ax. 

“Ben Solo,” a voice called out, Ben’s eyes snapping over to see none other than General Peavey standing a mere twenty feet away, flanked on either side by twelve armed Troopers. 

“I hadn’t expected you to be foolish enough to come here, but I am pleased to see I’d overestimated you.”

Ben’s body flooded with cold dread, his grip around Hux’s hand tightening, though the plastoid in his gloves dug painfully into his skin. 

“And who have you brought with you? It couldn’t possibly be General Hux,“ the Knight with the scythe taunted, passing the weapon from one hand to the other like a Loth Cat playing with its meal. 

Hux pulled off his helmet with one hand, dropping it to the ground beside him and glancing around with a sneer. 

“Lord Ap’lek. Lord Vicrul,” he greeted imperiously, his glare icier than even the air around them as he took a step in front of Ben. “General Peavey, I must say, your security here is rather lacking; but then, I didn’t expect much of you to begin with.”

One of the Knights, Vicrul, scoffed at his mocking words, taking a few steps closer and twirling his scythe menacingly. 

“So I see you’ve finally become a full fledged traitor, Hux. I honestly never expected it from you of all people. The Supreme Leader will not take kindly to this betrayal.”

“I’m sure he won’t,” Hux answered, removing Kuruk’s rifle from his shoulder and gripping it tightly in his free hand. Every Trooper raised their own blasters threateningly, aiming directly for Hux. 

“That’s enough talk now, don’t you think?” Peavey said with a sickening grin. “Set your blasters to stun. Capture them. Leader Snoke will want the pleasure of killing this traitor himself.”

Ben took in a deep breath, eyes flitting about as they were approached from nearly every direction. He could hear the humming of both the ax and the scythe held by each Knight, those sounds bringing him right back to age fifteen on Ahch-To. 

The feeling of a gloved hand gripping his wrist wrenched him back to reality. Green eyes connected with his and the panic he felt ebbed away; he wasn’t a helpless fifteen year old padawan anymore, he was twenty four and he was a Jedi Knight. And, most importantly, he wasn’t alone. 

Ben unbuckled the orange utility vest and unzipped the jumpsuit, letting them fall into a pile at his feet. His robes and cowl fluttered around him in the harsh freezing wind as he pulled his lightsaber off of his belt, twirling it in his hand and igniting the green blade. 

“Let’s do this.”

………

“Fire!” Peavey commanded, his voice echoing over the howling wind. Hux raised the rifle in his hands, his fingers scrambling to figure out how to work it. 

Twelve shots rang out, twelve bursts of red in the white flurry of snow. Faster than his eyes could see, Ben stepped in front of him, twirling his green saber and redirecting the shots back toward the Troopers, hitting three of them and sending them backwards into the snow. 

Hux had an instant feeling of déjà vu, going back to the day he himself had been in Peavey’s position on this very planet, ordering his Troopers to capture Ben Solo. Now here he was being protected by the force user; fighting with him instead of against him. 

Taking the time afforded to him as Ben shielded them from the stun bolts, Hux looked over the deceased knights rifle, flicking a switch that spun the barrel twice. He glanced to his right as Ap’lek approached, vibro-ax in hand, and charged the rifle. He pulled the trigger, almost knocked backward by the powerful blowback as it sent out a large red bolt that connected with the Knight’s hip, sending him flying back to slam into a tree. 

Hux let out a laugh of disbelief, flicking the switch once again to turn the barrel. He raised an eyebrow as a sniper scope emerged, a small smirk spreading across his lips as he raised the now sniper rifle to rest against his shoulder, using his other hand to steady it. 

He aimed and took in a deep breath, releasing it as he pulled the trigger. The head of the Trooper he’d been aiming for snapped back as his shot hit its mark, the white armored body almost disappearing under the snow as it collapsed to the ground. 

Hux fired off several more shots, they combined with the stun bolts bouncing back from Ben’s saber taking out more than half of the Stormtroopers in quick succession. 

“Ben!” Hux shouted over the din in warning as Vicrul neared him on his left, vibro-scythe raised to strike. 

Ben detached the second hilt from the whole saber, activating the blue blade to block the heavy downward strike from the scythe with a grunt. 

The spinning of the green saber stuttered as Ben’s boots began to sink into the snow from the sheer force of Vicrul driving him downward. 

Hux ducked a bolt that flew past his face, letting out a shaking breath. He raised the rifle, finding his target, taking aim, and firing. Another Trooper went down, only five now remaining. 

Peavey’s face went red with anger, his blaster rising to aim directly at Ben as the force user pushed back against Vicrul. 

Hux raised his rifle and fired, relishing in the scream of pain as his bolt took out Peavey’s knee just as Ben cocked his head and threw Vicrul back with a well timed force push. 

With their leader down for the count, there was a stutter in the remaining Troopers volley of stun bolts. Without hesitation, Hux grabbed Ben’s wrist and pulled, dragging him into the cover of the nearby woods. 

They weaved their way through the trees, sharp ice crystals stinging their cheeks as they ran. Hux could hear the sound of Stormtrooper armor clacking behind them, the enemy pursuing them through the dense forest. 

Beside him Ben reattached his saber and clipped it to his belt before pulling out his com with his now free hand, pressing down the button. 

“Dad! We have a situation!” he yelled, he and Hux ducking under a low hanging tree branch as they continued their sprint. 

_ “Ben! What is it? Where are you?”  _ Han questioned, his tone desperate. 

“We’re in the woods beside the planned entrance. We’re being pursued. I need you to ignite the charges!”

_ “What? Are you crazy? I can’t do that while you’re still out there!” _ Han argued. 

“It’s the only way we’ll make it out alive! Just trust me! Ignite the charges and give Poe and Halla the ok!”

Hux yanked Ben to the side as a bolt flew past them, nearly slipping on the ice as they ran. 

_ “Ok kid. Alright,” _ Han acquiesced, his tone fearful and pained. 

_ “Ignition in 5, 4, 3, 2…” _

At one, the trees around them shook, the planet itself seeming to groan beneath their feet. A deafening boom sounded behind them and they skidded to a halt, turning to see the fire and smoke billowing over the base in the distance. The Troopers that had been chasing them froze in their tracks, watching as cracks began forming in the ground beneath their feet; lines of orange and red fiery light that seemed to be spreading from the base itself.

Suddenly the cracks grew, flames bursting forth from the snow-covered earth. A huge ravine opened up, swallowing the Troopers whole like an enormous beast, ravenous after centuries of sleep. 

Ben wordlessly grabbed Hux’s hand, yanking and resuming their mad dash as the ravine expanded, the planet quite literally imploding and crumbling beneath them. Hux chanced a glance over his shoulder, cursing loudly as he spotted the two black figures of the Knights of Ren chasing after them, vaulting over the deep cracks and holes forming. 

They broke through the dense wall of trees, emerging from the forest only to be forced to stop as they came upon the entrance of the Jedi Temple, the two huge statues flanking the doorway shivering and crumbling. 

There was nowhere to run. 

Hux glanced over at the muffled sound of both sides of Ben’s lightsaber activating, the man’s young face haloed in blue and green light, his brown eyes meeting Hux’s. As if by spell or command, all of his fear left his body at once, replaced with utter determination. He gripped his rifle, raising it at the ready just as the two Knights emerged from the woods. 

“You have spirit, Solo,” Vucrul spoke, voice cold and mechanical and just barely audible over the roar of fire and distant explosions. “I now see why Leader Snoke has sought you out so desperately, even after all these years.”

Hux stumbled as the tremors of the ground grew stronger, quickly catching his balance as Vicrul and Ap’lek approached like a pair of Mantessan Panthac’s seizing up their prey. 

“I’ll only say this once,” Ben spat, lowering himself into a fighting stance with a hateful sneer, an expression so unfamiliar on his young face that it gave Hux pause. “Walk. Away. Leave this place. Go back to your master and tell him I will  _ never _ join him.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Ap’lek growled, twirling his ax in hand as he split off from Vicrul, moving left. Hux watched the scythe wielding Knight as he moved slowly toward him. He could almost feel his eyes boring holes through him from behind that mask. 

“Even  _ I _ can sense the darkness still within you,” Ap’lek continued. “It isn’t something you can purge yourself of with mere Jedi training; it’s a part of you. With time, you will give in to its seduction. You. Will. Fall.”

With a shout of rage Ben charged toward Ap’lek, jumping and spinning through the air, driving down the green blade of his saber. The Knight blocked the strike with the long staff of his ax, shoving the Jedi back. Ben’s feet slid across the icy ground, but he didn’t slip or stumble, dark eyes locked onto the Knight in a heated glare. 

“Yes. Feel that rage building inside of you,” Ap’lek taunted. 

“Shut up!” Ben yelled, spinning his saber with a flourish before advancing to attack once again. 

Hux was forced to look away from the fight as a shout sounded beside him, Vicrul charging at him in a full tilt sprint with his scythe raised. 

He ducked out of the way, flicking the switch on the rifle, the barrel switching to what he gathered was pump-action mode. 

He took aim and fired, but missed as the Knight effortlessly dodged the heavy blast, the bolt taking chunks out of the cliff face the temple was carved into. 

“That rifle belonged to Lord Kuruk. You don’t deserve to wield it,” Vicrul snarled viciously.

Hux had no time to answer him as he once again sprinted forward with his scythe poised to strike. 

Hux charged and fired another blast, and another, and another, the Knight bobbing and weaving, dodging as if it were merely a game. 

To their right, Ben twirled and spun almost too quickly for Hux to see, meeting each one of Ap’lek’s strikes with a clash of his double sided saber. Sparks flew as the Knights vibro-ax struck the vibrant green blade once again, Ben reeling back and kicking Ap’lek hard in the gut. With a loud crack that sounded over the roaring of the imploding planet, the smoke canister on Ap’lek’s belt broke, Ben coughing and wheezing as he breathed in a lungful of the smoke. 

“Ben!” Hux cried out, turning his rifle toward Ap’lek as the Knight raised his ax over the disoriented Jedi like an executioner. He fired a heavy blast that connected with Ap’lek’s exposed flank, sending the Knight flying sideways. 

Hux shouted in shock and flinched back as, in his moment of distraction, Vicrul managed to close the distance between them, slashing the blade of his scythe across his stomach. It cut straight through the plastoid of his armour and the thick gaberwool beneath, reaching skin. 

Hux twirled the rifle in his hands, slamming the butt against the mask of Vicrul’s helmet. The Knight stumbled back a short distance, growling in rage as he raised his scythe once again. 

Hux in turn flipped his rifle back around, poised to fire another blast. When he pulled the trigger, however, his stomach sank to his feet as he realised all at once that he had run out of ammunition. 

Vicrul let out a cruel, distorted laugh, lifting the scythe higher over his shoulder. Hux retreated a few steps, shouting as he slipped and fell on his back into the snow. He tried to move, to jump to his feet, but the Knight was fast to pin him in place with a boot to his armored chest. 

“How unfortunate for you,” he hissed, spinning the scythe to press the blade against Hux’s throat. The vibrations shook his entire form.

“But quite fortunate for me. I’ve wanted to do this since the very first moment I met you.”

Tears sprang up unbidden at the corners of Hux’s eyes as the sharp blade slowly pressed into the skin of his neck. He gritted his teeth through the pain. 

He was going to die, but at least he’d go with the knowledge that Starkiller, his terrible creation, would never be fired. 

The pressure left his throat as a shout sounded nearby, a flash of green filling his vision. He stared in shock as he watched Ben’s green lightsaber fly through the air, slicing the Knight above him cleanly in half. Vicrul’s torso slid off of his legs, both halves falling to the ground with a thump. 

Hux held a shaking hand to his bleeding throat as he glanced over from the Knight’s mask to Ben. The Jedi stared back, swaying on his feet, clearly still disoriented from the noxious gas he’d breathed in. 

Carefully, Hux pulled himself up, his ears ringing with the deafening sounds of the planet exploding all around them. 

He had to get to Ben. Something in his mind told him it was absolutely vital to get to the other man as quickly as possible. 

He understood precisely what it was when he spotted Ap’lek stirring, the Knight jumping to his feet with that cursed force user dexterity. 

Before Hux could call out in warning, a deafening crack sounded, the ground splitting in a long line going directly toward the Knight and Ben. Hux sprinted forward without hesitation, snatching up the green lightsaber as he went. 

Ap’lek lunged for Ben, managing to grab onto his leg as the ground fell away beneath their feet, spreading into a bottomless fiery ravine. He used his grip to climb the struggling Jedi, managing to pull himself entirely out of the pit. 

The Knight looked to Hux, the energy surrounding him positively feral. He closed the distance between them in only a few steps. Hux tried to swing at him with the saber, but Ap’lek caught his wrist, twisting it hard enough to force him to drop the weapon. 

Hux’s eyes went wide as the enraged Knight closed his fist around his throat, bodily lifting him into the air. 

“You have been an annoyance since the very first moment I met you,” he growled, barely audible over the rumbling and distant explosions that rocked the ground. 

“It will be a pleasure to watch the light leave your eyes, knowing that you died pointlessly trying to protect your Ben Solo from his inevitable fate.”

“I imagine it would have been,” Hux choked out before jerking his right arm, extending it outward so that his monomolecular blade fell from its sheath and into his waiting hand. Before Ap’lek could react, he drove the blade up between two plates of armour into the Knight’s side. 

Ap’lek grunted in surprise and pain, releasing his crushing hold on Hux’s throat long enough for Hux to reel back and deliver a hard kick to his sternum, sending him hurtling backward into the growing ravine, disappearing in the fiery depths with a fading scream; the last of the Knights of Ren. 

There was no time to celebrate or even breath as the ground continued to crumble, Ben shouting as the ledge he was hanging from began to give way. 

Hux snatched up the lightsaber and threw himself forward with a cry, driving the green blade into the ground and holding on with one hand, gripping Ben’s wrist tightly with the other.

“Hold on!” he screamed over the roaring of the planet. 

“No kidding!” Ben shouted back, his own sweat slicked hand clenched around Hux’s wrist in a crushing grip, but Hux didn’t care about the pain, nor did he care about the blood soaking his collar. His only concern was Ben. 

It felt as if an eternity had passed, their eyes locked onto nothing but each other. Ben looked at him as if it was the last time he’d see his face, taking in every single detail. 

The gesture made Hux’s heart ache in a way he hadn’t previously known it could. There had been no one in his life before that had taken care to even look him in the eye for longer than a moment, and here was this shockingly sentimental Jedi, an oxymoron if ever there was one, who was taking his very last moments alive to commit  _ his _ face to memory.

“Hux,” Ben called out over the roar of the dying moon, deep dark eyes reflecting the flurry of fire and ash from below that was preparing to swallow them whole. 

“Armitage,” Hux answered, tears welling up in his eyes, threatening to spill down his nearly frostbitten face. 

Ben’s expression shifted, his eyes flickering downward before snapping right back up to meet Hux’s with a shockingly sincere look. 

“Armitage,” he said, calm despite the fact that he was currently dangling over the edge of a hellish casm. 

“Thank you.”

“For what?” Hux shouted incredulously, the hand gripping the hilt of the saber beginning to shake with the effort, the muscles in his arm burning. 

Before Ben could answer, a familiar sound broke through the roaring din. Hux looked skyward, his held back tears finally falling as he spotted the Falcon approaching. The ship came down beside them as close as possible, the hatch opening to reveal Rey. 

The young girl reached out a hand, the air, the force, humming electrically around them. With her help, Hux pulled Ben bodily out of the pit, dragging him to his feet as fire burst forth from the cracks in the ground, the explosions growing closer and closer. 

He wrenched the lightsaber out of the ground, pulling Ben towards the ship. Running faster than he thought he could, he threw himself inside the Falcon, Ben landing heavily beside him as the hatch closed behind them and the ship ascended into the atmosphere. 

“Ben!” Han called out, kneeling beside his son and pulling him into a tight embrace. Ben returned the hug, his eyes remaining on Hux for a long while before he finally turned to face his father.

”We thought we’d lost you two,” Rey whispered, her small hand resting on Hux’s shoulder as tears fell down her cheeks.

As they reached the blackness and quiet of space, Hux’s eyes flickered over to the viewport, just barely catching sight of Starkiller, of Ilum, engulfed entirely in flames before exploding in a burst of brilliant, blinding light that filled the cockpit with an orange glow. 

They had done it. 

They had destroyed Starkiller. 

………

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This. Took. Ages.
> 
> And I’m still not totally happy with it! Please excuse any spelling mistakes! I’ve been disassociating for a week so I’m kind of out of it. If you catch any, feel free to leave me a comment!
> 
> Thank you to those of you who’ve been leaving encouraging comments! You guys are wonderful and it’s because of you that I’m able to keep this up <3
> 
> ~Cynical


	15. If We Had Five More Minutes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~Chapter Vibes~  
https://youtu.be/ZdkhKkfNPZE

~

_ Ben’s eyes snapped open, met with the now familiar sight of the cavernous, dimly lit Holochamber aboard the Finalizer. _

_ The loud clashing of a lightsaber activating broke the deafening silence, but what followed was not the typical soft hum of the weapon, but an almost sickly parody of it. _

_ He glanced down to see his own hand gripping the very strange hilt of a violently spitting lightsaber with an unstable red blade, two smaller blades extending from the crossguard-like vents. The light of it bathed the shiny black walls and floor in eerie red light, somehow too bright and too dark all at once. _

_ The very sight of the saber brought him back to the night terrors he’d had as a boy. _

_ His eyes moved upward from the dreadful saber, gaze meeting all too familiar eyes the colour of sea glass. _

_ His fist clenched around the hilt of the sickly weapon, his arm moving without his consent. He tried to call out in warning, to scream, to cry; it was as if his mind was being held hostage in his body, forced to watch as that monstrosity of a lightsaber was brought down in a powerful strike. _

_ He watched in numb horror as the light left those once lively and defiant sea glass eyes, not one smart word, not a single sound, leaving those lips. He couldn’t breathe, barely registering the sensation of wetness on his cheeks. _

_ “Very good,” Snoke’s voice whispered, echoing through the chamber; through his mind. _

_ “Kylo Ren.” _

_ He couldn’t breathe. The name seemed to echo in his head, taunting him as he stared unblinking at those lifeless green eyes. _

_ “Ren… Ren… Ren…” _

~

“Ben!”

Ben snapped awake with a gasp of air, feeling as if he’d been drowning. He held onto the nearest solid thing as he tried to get his bearings, his surroundings slowly but surely fading in around him. 

Snoke’s Holochamber shifted into the crew quarters of the Millennium Falcon, the metallic scent of blood replaced with the gentle fragrance of clean sheets, recycled air, and bacta. The deafening crackle of the unstable red bladed saber became the familiar hum of the Falcon, a sound that used to lull him to sleep as a child. 

He’d been stripped of his off-white outer robe, leaving him in his tight dark grey cropped undershirt, black croshhide leggings, and black socks. He had bandages wrapped around his palms and stomach, and his cowl was draped over his body like a blanket.

He was safe; comfortable even, pressed up against something warm and solid.

“Ben,” that Imperial accented voice that broke him out of his dream repeated. 

His eyes snapped open; he hadn’t remembered closing them. Sea green eyes, filled with life, were now locked with his own, openly displaying uncharacteristic concern. 

“Hux?” he said hazily, blinking to clear his sleep blurred eyes. For just a moment, he feared he would have a knife driven through his chest at any second. He shook off that thought almost angrily. That was unfair to Hux. 

“You were having a nightmare. Or a vision… whatever someone like you would call it,” Hux spoke, his voice smooth and impossibly soft. 

“A nightmare,” Ben affirmed, forcing down the panic he felt at even the prospect that what he’d seen could be a vision; that it could ever _ actually _ happen. 

Very slowly, his memory of what he assumed to be the previous day came back to him; the mission, the chase, the fight. 

They had blown up Starkiller Base; they had killed the last of the Knights of Ren. 

He wasn’t in the correct frame of mind to dwell on those two particular details, instead taking stock of his injuries. 

The skin of his palms and his abdomen stung with deep cuts he’d received whilst holding on to the crumbling ledge of the chasm he’d been dangling over, made worse by the action of the Knight, Ap’lek, climbing him to get out. Every muscle in his body ached horribly, but he was certain nothing was missing or broken, and for that he was thankful. 

He recalled the moment Hux had run to his aid, had once again wielded his green lightsaber to face off with the final Knight. The fire in his eyes as he drove his blade into his gut and kicked him into the chasm below; the desperation that replaced it as he gripped Ben’s hand until help had arrived. Hux had been ready to die with him. 

_ “Armitage”, _his brain supplied, the vivid memory of their exchange before they were rescued planting itself in the forefront of his mind. 

He recalled the way the other man had looked at him as he thanked him, gleaming sea green eyes filled with confusion as if he didn’t believe he deserved to be thanked. He recalled the words that had been stuck on his tongue; the words he hadn’t been able to say. 

And now the time for those words had passed. He’d lost his chance. 

A soft sigh drew him from his thoughts and, all at once, his current position truly sank in; he and the ex-General were laying side by side in a bunk a bit too small to comfortably house one let alone two men of their height. Hux’s slighter build was pressed up against him and Ben’s face flushed pink the moment he realised that what he’d been holding on to ever since he’d awoken as a sort of anchor to reality was Hux’s arm. 

He hurriedly let go, turning his face away from the other man as he took in a deep calming breath.

“Sorry if I woke you,” Ben said a bit sheepishly after a while, staring up at the ceiling and folding his wrapped hands on his abdomen, running his fingers absently along the bandage below his undershirt. 

“You didn’t. I’ve been awake,” Hux said simply, shifting his own position on the bunk to lay flat on his back.

Ben instantly knew that to be the truth, sensing the anxiety roiling off of the other man in waves. 

“Have we heard anything from Poe or Halla?” he asked, rerouting the conversation almost awkwardly. 

“Not for a few hours,” Hux replied. “The last bit of news we received was that a fleet of TIEs were being deployed over Vardos.”

Ben sucked in a deep breath through his nose, attempting to push himself up from the bed. He braced his weight on his right arm, wincing at the stinging of the cuts on his palms, but didn’t make it far as a warm hand planted itself in the middle of his chest, gently pushing him back to rest against the headboard in a half seated half reclined position. 

“Don’t. You’ll aggravate your wounds,” Hux tried to snap at him, but there was no real fire behind his words. 

He seemed to be utterly exhausted, dark purple bags beneath his eyes standing out starkly against his pale skin. Ben was no stranger to post-battle exhaustion. Coming down from that adrenal high, your body finally registering the pain inflicted upon it, your mind foggy and your emotions heightened, was something he was well acquainted with. 

However, he knew that wasn’t the extent of what Hux was feeling. He could sense the complicated torrent of emotion, confusion, relief, exhaustion, the other man was experiencing, the sheer intensity of it making him want nothing more than to slide back down into the bunk beside the other man and sleep for a week. 

He shook off that thought as he spotted the white bandage poking out from beneath the high collar of Hux’s borrowed clothing. 

He reached out, slowing his pace at the other man’s flinch. Gently, he gripped the collar and pulled it down to reveal a thin bloodstained bandage wrapped around Hux’s throat. 

The vague memory of the Knight Hux had called Vicrul pressing the blade of his scythe downward against Hux’s neck flashed through his mind and he winced. 

“Are you alright?” he inquired, eyes flickering up toward Hux’s. His mien shifted at that, lips parting in surprise as if no one had ever asked him that question out of genuine concern for his well being. It made Ben’s heart ache. 

“The cut isn’t too deep,” he said, averting his gaze and furrowing his brow. “There wasn’t enough bacta gel left to do much in the way of treating it, so I’m to wait until we return to base. You seem to have healed up rather nicely already.”

Ben couldn’t help the small frown that slanted his mouth. 

“You’re in pain,” he stated more than asked, moving to keep Hux’s gaze. 

The ex-General’s lips pressed into a thin line as he seemed to mull over his next words. 

“Yes,” he finally sighed. 

“Let me help you?” Ben asked a bit more timidly, clenching his jaw at the pain as he pushed himself into more of a seated position to face Hux. 

“How?” Hux questioned, his brow creasing further as he watched Ben. 

“Just trust me,” Ben said. 

Not four days ago, those words would have been met with derision and hatred. Now, however, Hux nodded minutely and allowed him to position him so they sat facing each other. 

Ben reached out with a gentle touch, working open the first few clasps of Hux’s tunic to give him full access to his throat before carefully peeling back the bandage. The wound was deeper than Hux had led him to believe, but thankfully not life threatening. 

“This will hurt for only a moment,” he said, placing a hand over the wound. Hux flinched, his eyes locked on a spot in the middle of Ben’s chest as his upper lip curled in an uncomfortable grimace.

Ben focused his energy, breathing deeply. His eyes slipped closed as he tuned into the force around him. He imagined it flowing into him at his beckoning, working its way through his body, his veins, his heart, his lungs, until it reached his hand upon which it continued into Hux. 

He felt the thrum of blood through Hux’s veins, the ache in his muscles, the sharp pain at his throat. He focused on the latter, reaching out with his mind to touch the force inside of Hux. He exhaled through his nose, directing the energy to renew; to heal.

Hux gasped as a blue glow emanated from the hand on his throat. Ben tried not to chuckle at the pure wonder in his eyes. 

Slowly, he pulled his hand away from Hux’s throat, smiling at the sight of once more perfectly smooth pale skin. 

“There,” he said softly, not wanting to break the calm atmosphere they’d created. 

Hux’s fingers came up to trace over the newly healed wound, his eyes wide in shock and amazement. 

“I…” he started, those eyes meeting Ben’s. “I didn’t know the force could do that. Thank you.”

Ben’s reply died on his tongue as a small but genuine smile stretched across Hux’s face. It was then that he realised just how close they had gotten. At this distance, Ben could see the light dusting of freckles across the bridge of Hux’s nose he’d never noticed before. He could see each individual long and delicate eyelash crowning sea green eyes with gold, the gentle curve of the Cupid’s bow of his full pink lips, the sharp jut of his cheekbones from his otherwise smooth and soft features. 

Hux pulled back as a knock sounded on the door, the panel beeping as it slid open a moment later to reveal Rey. 

“We’re home,” she said, the look in her eye far too knowing for someone her age. 

Ben’s cheeks warmed under her smug gaze and he quickly turned, searching for his outer robes and boots. 

_ ‘Shut up,’ _he projected toward her as he dressed himself quickly. 

_ ‘Not a word,’ _she echoed back. 

He knew for absolutely certain that she was lying. 

He followed her silently through the slim corridors of the Falcon toward the main hold, Hux not far behind, fingers still running over his freshly healed throat. 

“You look better, kid,” Han spoke as he appeared from the cockpit access corridor, Chewie following with a grunt of agreement. 

“How do you feel?”

“I’m alright,” Ben said with a small smile as Han wrapped an arm around his shoulders, leading him toward the hatch. 

“How about you, Hux?” Han questioned. 

Ben watched as Hux’s brow raised in surprise, glancing up toward Han. 

“… Yes. I’m feeling much better,” he answered almost timidly.

Han nodded, pleased, as the airlock released and the boarding ramp emerged. The moment the hatch opened they were met with cheers. The five of them made their way down the ramp, immediately bombarded by handshakes and hugs, congratulations and thanks. 

Ben spared a glance toward Hux who looked rather startled as an older member of high command shook his hand vigorously, another woman approaching him to wrap him in a tight embrace that had his ears and cheeks turning pink. 

“Finn!” Rey called out, catching Ben’s attention as she hurried toward the wheelchair bound boy, hugging him tightly but carefully. Taking pity on Hux, Ben reached out and gripped his shoulder, leading him out of the crowd and over toward Finn with a few muttered apologies. 

Hux nodded his thanks, relief washing over him the further away they got from the welcoming party. 

“Hey kid,” Ben greeted as they came to a stop before Finn who was still clinging to Rey like his life depended on it. 

“You’re looking alive. How do you feel?”

“I’m ok,” Finn reassured, smiling as Rey finally pulled back to stand beside his chair. “What about you guys? You really took out Starkiller? Just like that?”

“You bet we did! It was amazing!” Rey exclaimed with a huge grin. 

“I’m sure it was,” came a new voice from behind them. Rey’s grin disappeared as Luke stepped forward, a stern frown in place as he regarded the group. 

“Master Luke,” Rey and Ben spoke at the same time, bowing in unison as they prepared their excuses and explanations. 

Luke held up a hand to stop them before they could say another word. 

“I’m not here to lecture you. Believe me, that will come later. For now, I’m just glad you’re both safe.”

Rey’s smile returned as she raced forward and hugged Luke, burying her face in his robes as he returned the hug with a chuckle. 

Ben glanced away from the sweet display as his name was called, his mother moving through the crowd toward him. 

His face split into a lopsided grin as she pulled him down into a similar embrace. He knelt to allow her easier access, engulfing her much smaller form. 

“Ben,” she said softly, running her fingers soothingly through his hair, her relief at seeing him palpable. 

She finally pulled back, albeit reluctantly, placing her hands on either side of his face. 

“You did it,” she whispered. 

_ ‘You did what I couldn’t do.’ _

Her projected words brought a sense of melancholy. He recalled the stories she’d told him of her Alderaan. He often wished he’d been able to see it. 

“And you,” Leia said, turning to face Hux. The ex-General’s brow shot up, his expression somehow the most surprised Ben had seen it as she considered him. 

“Thank you,” she said, eyes filled to the brim with emotion; with genuine gratitude and hope. 

“I…” Hux started, as if he was searching for the proper words to respond with. Coming up short, he simply reached into his pocket and pulled out the data disc, holding it out toward her. 

“We managed to take this before destroying the base. On it you’ll find a live star map showing the current position of every active First Order Star Destroyer, a full list of planets under First Order control, a full list of supporters, both political and financial, and every single spy with additional information on their past and current assignments.”

Leia took the proffered disc, looking it over with a smile. She nodded wordlessly, Hux returning the motion. Understanding passed between the two and Leia reached up with her free hand, placing it on his shoulder. 

“Thank you, Armitage,” she said, squeezing his shoulder once before turning to hand C-3PO the disk. 

“Mom,” Ben spoke. “What’s the news with the raids on Kuat and Vardos?”

“Halla and her people were successful in taking out the shipyards and factories on Kuat. Last I heard, they were on their way to Vardos to assist our Red and Black Squadrons. It’ll be a blow to the Senate as well as the First Order, but it was a necessary evil; Mon Mothma will understand that when we deliver to her evidence of the First Order’s crimes.”

“What about Poe?” Finn said from his chair, anxiously twisting the fabric of the blanket on his shoulders. “Have you heard anything from him?”

Leia shook her head as Han came up to stand behind her, wrapping his arms around her.

“We lost all contact with Poe’s entire squadron after those TIEs were deployed,” she said, leaning back into Han’s embrace, resting her head against his chest. 

Hux frowned and huffed out an almost inaudible sigh, Ben turning to look at him questioningly. 

“The base located on Vardos is equipped with a powerful frequency jammer,” he stated.

“Is there a way to take it out?” Ben inquired. 

“A few well aimed shots would do the trick. There’s nothing we can do about it from here, though.”

“Where is it located?” Ben pushed, standing before Hux and planting his hands on his shoulders. Green eyes widened minutely before Hux seemed to gather his thoughts.

“In the easternmost part of the base on the top floor,” he said. 

Ben nodded his understanding, closing his eyes and reaching out. He searched for a familiar presence, stretching his consciousness as far as it would go until he finally found him. 

_ ‘Poe,’ _he projected.

He felt Poe’s surprise mixed with relief; his utter exhaustion and steadfast determination. 

_ ‘There’s a frequency jammer on the top deck of the easternmost part of the Kestro Base.’ _

He said nothing else. He knew he wouldn’t need to; that Poe would understand. Slowly and carefully he returned to himself, blinking rapidly as his eyes readjusted to the sunlight. His vision faded in and he stared directly into questioning green eyes. 

He hesitated for only a moment before turning away from Hux to look at his mother and father. 

“Message received. We should be hearing from our Red Squadron leader very soon.”

………

It had been a little over an hour since they’d returned to D’Qar when the command console crackled to life, a blessedly familiar voice following. 

_ “-eneral Organa this is Commander Damer- Do you rea- me.” _

Ben shot up out of the chair he’d been seated in, startling both Rey and Hux as he launched himself toward the console and slammed down the button. 

“Commander Dameron, this is Commander Solo. We read you loud and clear,” he said as his mother and father raced to his side, others surrounding the console, awaiting Poe’s words with bated breath. 

_ “… The Kestro Base has been destroyed and the First Order is pulling their TIE’s and Troopers. We did it!” _

Cheers erupted throughout the small command centre, everyone clapping and hugging and crying out in utter joy at the victory won. 

_ “We’re going into hyperspeed now,” _ Halla announced. _ “We’ll be home soon.” _

Poe let out a laugh, his feed crackling a bit. 

_ “Oh man. Ben, the moment I get home, you and General Ginger are going to tell me the full story of taking down Starkiller!” _he said. 

Ben grinned as his eyes met Hux’s, the man obviously annoyed at the nickname. 

“You bet, Poe,” Ben replied. 

_ “And I can’t wait to tell you everything abou-“ _

His words were interrupted by the sound of an explosion. There was a shout, numerous loud pops and bangs, and then total silence. 

The chamber went still, every single person that had previously been celebrating their victory against the First Order turning to face the console. 

Ben couldn’t breathe. He raced over toward the series of lights on the console corresponding with the deployed X-Wings. His eyes flitted over each small red dot until he found the one for Poe’s ship; it had gone dark. 

His knees went weak as the world faded out around him, his body going completely numb as he stared at the extinguished light. The light that represented his friend; his brother. 

Distantly he registered a small hand gripping his sleeve. He felt Rey’s presence as she wrapped her arms around him, shaking as sobs wracked her small frame. 

Ben dropped to his knees, hugging her tightly, burying his own tear-streaked face in her shoulder. A hand he immediately knew to be his mothers carded through his hair as he wept. 

He was gone. 

………

The mood was a confusing mixture of joyful and forlorn as most of the remaining members of the Resistance gathered outside to await the return of their friends and family. Hux himself felt so utterly out of place around the excited chattering. 

He watched in what he could only think to call helpless dismay as Ben clung to his family, his eyes, usually so filled with mirth, now filled with tears and indescribable pain. The very sight of it brought wetness to Hux’s own eyes. He couldn’t recall the last time he’d cried, but he was uncomfortably close to it now. 

The loss of Dameron seemed to impact every single being that had been present, all of them bowing their heads mournfully in the moment that had previously been so joyful. Even the droids had seemed to join in mourning the pilot. Beside him from his wheelchair, Finn had sobbed into his hands, Han placing a comforting hand on the boys shoulder, his wrinkled face looking inexplicably older in his grief. 

Chewbacca had let out a mournful roar. 

Hux, despite not speaking a word of Shyriiwook, had somehow known exactly what it was that the Wookie had said. 

His eyes had locked onto Ben’s as the man finally pulled back from Rey, the girl immediately going to comfort Finn. His gaze was like a punch to the gut, and Hux’s hands itched to reach out; to somehow soothe the terrible pain the other man was feeling just as he’d wanted to do after he’d woken him from his nightmare on the ship not hours ago. 

Now here he stood, unable to do or say a thing to help his… were they friends? What did one even call a relationship like the one he and Ben had? Past enemies? Until recently reluctant colleagues?

There had never been anyone in Hux’s life he could really even call a friend. The closest he’d ever had had been Grand Admiral Sloane or Captain Phasma. 

He blinked as he realised he’d been walking while lost in his thoughts, his eyes landing on Ben as he stopped to stand before him. He stared into those depths of glassy dark brown with bursts of gold like flaring sunspots and, before he could convince himself not to, reached out a hand. 

He was instantly fearful that Ben would turn away, or snap at him angrily. He held back a gasp as he was instead pulled into a hug by the other man, surprisingly strong arms engulfing him completely. The wetness of tears hit his shoulder as Ben buried his face against his neck and Hux’s brain stuttered to a halt. 

Standing there, he could almost fool himself into believing he could be anything to the other man besides a useful source of information on the First Order. 

He couldn’t help but think of each and every time Ben had saved him; had put his life before his own. The way he’d looked at him that very first time on Ilum after he’d cut down that hungry Gorgodon, the way he’d clung to him after his nightmare, the way he’d expended his own severely dwindled energy to heal Hux’s wound. 

With all of those memories brought to the forefront of his mind, he could almost pretend he could be more to Ben Solo than a past nemesis; a General of the First Order, determined to capture him and hand him off to the monster from his childhood. 

Ben pulled back from the all encompassing embrace, holding Hux by the shoulders as if he were his anchor to reality. His quivering lips mouthed “Thank you” and Hux nodded for lack of anything else to do. They stood there for a moment, Hux’s mind going utterly blank as his heart began to race in a way he typically associated with fear, but it was something entirely different. 

They were both brought hurtling back to the present as a voice called out from the crowd:

“General, they’re back!”

Sure enough, the skyline of D’Qar began to fill with the returning X-Wings, followed closely by the colourful assortment of ships under Halla’s command. 

Loud cheers filled the air as people swarmed those that’d landed, barely waiting for them to exit the cockpit of their ship before pulling them into their arms to welcome them home. 

Ben pulled back completely from Hux, motioning for him to stand beside him as Leia stepped forward, looking over the growing crowd. 

“Today is a day of great joy,” she said, her voice echoing imperiously across the airfield. 

“And great sadness. Today we have dealt a serious blow to the First Order from which they will not soon recover. We’ve destroyed their great weapon, we’ve taken out their supplier, and we’ve disabled their primary sponsor. And, thanks to General Hux, we now have enough evidence against them to make a case with the Galactic Senate. The New Republic will have no choice but to join us in taking down the First Order once and for all!”

The crowd roared their approval, Leia allowing the celebration for a few moments before raising her hand. A hush fell over the rowdy mass once more. 

“But with every victory comes loss. And on this day, we have lost many brave men and women. They shall be remembered for their sacrifice in the name of freedom. We-“

Leia’s words halted abruptly, her face turning skyward as a ship appeared over the horizon. Hux blanched as he recognised the familiar shape of a TIE fighter, a black plume of smoke trailing behind it. 

“How the hell did it find us?” Han cursed, pulling his blaster with a grimace. 

“Everyone who is unarmed or injured, get inside right now. And anyone with a clear shot, take it,” Leia ordered, people scrambling to obey her command as the flight pad cleared.

Several pilots sprinted back toward their X-Wings as the single TIE approached, ready to take off and blast it out of the sky. 

Hux tilted his head in confusion as he looked over the ship, observing the odd flight pattern.

“They don’t fly like a TIE fighter pilot,” he whispered to Ben, the other man staring up at the ship before closing his eyes, concentrating; searching. 

“Wait!” Ben shouted over the din, every single being pausing at his beckoning. 

“Wait,” he repeated under his breath, his red-rimmed eyes following the lone ship as it landed, albeit a bit roughly, on the airfield. Everyone left to witness watched with bated breath as the hatch on top of the cockpit rose up, a figure emerging from it. 

“Hey!” Poe called out, dragging himself out of the smoking TIE and dropping onto the ground with wobbly legs. “Thanks for not shooting me down, but are you all just gonna stand there gawking, or is anyone gonna welcome me home?”

In an instant Ben was sprinting to the pilot, pulling him into a crushing hug that the other man returned wholeheartedly. 

“You bastard! How are you still alive?!” Ben exclaimed, pulling back to look at his friend with a huge lopsided grin. 

“Whaddaya mean, how? You really thought you could get rid of me that easily?” Poe laughed, grabbing the taller man around the neck and ruffling his hair. “No, Solo. You’re stuck with me forever!”

“Poe!” Rey called out, racing toward him to join in the tearful embrace, Finn wheeling along not far behind. 

“We heard you go down, kid. How did you survive?” Han asked from beside Leia, crossing his arms with a look of disbelief. 

“The shot came from a retreating TIE; a last hurrah I guess. Thankfully, I was close enough to the surface of Vardos that the only real damage was to my ship. So, I hopped out and managed to get my hands on a TIE. And _ man _can those things fly,” Poe stated, motioning back toward the TIE fighter with an almost fond smile. 

“Thank you,” Hux said out of habit, several pairs of eyes snapping over to him. 

“Wait, did you design them?” Poe questioned, turning to face him with a look of what could only be described as amazement. 

“The newer models, yes. I made a few necessary updates to improve the stability and all around maneuverability, plus a few more,” Hux answered, folding his hands behind his back with pride at his achievements as Dameron fixed him with an excited smirk. 

“Maybe I could persuade you to help me fix this one up a bit, then? Maybe make a few more updates to it, just for fun?” Poe offered almost conspiratorially. Hux half smiled in response, eyebrow quirking as Poe patted him on the shoulder. 

“Fantastic. This is gonna be a lotta fun.”

As Hux’s gaze met Ben’s over Poe’s shoulder, those eyes once again filled with the laughter and joy that truly belonged there, he couldn’t help but agree with the miraculously alive pilot. 

“It certainly will be.”

………

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s finally happening.
> 
> I’m sorry for how long these updates are taking. Hopefully the fact that this chapter has almost 5k words makes up for it a little? Maybe?
> 
> Thank you for all of the comments and encouragement! It really drives me to keep going!
> 
> ~Cynical


	16. He Didn’t Mean to do No Harm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~Chapter Vibes~
> 
> https://youtu.be/jTwdGRHl5Mw

Recovering from the sheer post-battle exhaustion that followed the destruction of Starkiller had taken days. Hux couldn’t recall ever being as physically drained as he had been that night, especially after witnessing the wild celebration that had taken place amongst the pilots and technicians. For the first time in his life, he’d fallen asleep the moment his head had connected with his pillow, no nightmares haunting him, no flurry of thoughts keeping him awake. 

The next morning he’d awoken to a knocking on his cell door. Ben had entered with a smile, making a joking comment of “Oh good, you’re already dressed,” before urging him to follow. Hux had kept his grousing internal for the most part, though he knew that did little to disguise it from the other man, following him until they had reached the mess hall where he’d been greeted by Poe, Finn, and Rey. 

He’d felt an odd warmth in his chest at being invited to take a seat; it had been the very first time he’d been allowed to eat outside of his cell, and to have had such a warm welcome was utterly foreign to him. He did his best to ignore the lingering stares from anyone passing, focusing on watching Ben and Poe argue about the details of their retelling of an old adventure while Rey and Finn took in their every word with wonder in their eyes. 

After their meal, Ben had once again beckoned him to follow, but rather than leading him back to his cell, he was taken a longer route to the opposite side of the small base, an area he’d never been before. They’d passed by standard crew bunks, half awake people tiredly plodding out to start their daily tasks, each passing by with a respectful nod or smile toward Ben and a muffled _ “Commander”._

The further they went, the higher the rank of the personnel seemed to rise. Hux’s confusion must’ve been evident on his face when Ben had opened the door near the end of the hall to reveal a rather cozy looking sleeping quarters with a curtain dividing it in half, two bunks on either side, and a door leading to a refresher. 

_ “Well?” _ the man had said, looking almost nervous for his answer. 

_ “Well what?” _Hux had replied, meeting his gaze as Ben’s eyebrows shot up in understanding. 

_ “Oh. Sorry. This is your new room. Well, it’s my room, but I put up a divider in between for privacy so I guess you’re technically bunking with me. I hope you don’t mind?” _

So now Hux sat holding his datapad on his bed in his brand new quarters, with a door he didn’t need a force user to unlock for him, and free reign to come and go as he pleased. He had exchanged Ben’s hand me down robes for clothes that actually fit him; amongst them were a pair of well fitted grey trousers, a black utility belt with connecting straps around his thighs to house a knife and a blaster, a smooth black jacket to go over a clean white undershirt, and a new pair of knee high black boots with buckles on the sides. The clothes were a bit worn, but pleasantly so, and more comfortable than anything Hux had ever owned. 

He couldn’t help the slight smile that spread across his face as he spotted a darker circle on the shoulder of his jacket, untouched by the weathering on the rest of the article, where he assumed the Resistance insignia had once been. He appreciated Ben’s consideration in removing the patch; he would’ve hated to feel marked as Resistance property.

Hux took in a deep breath, marvelling at how light and free he felt. For his entire life, he’d had a growing weight on his chest. In his early life, the weight had been the expectations of his father. After his father had been eliminated, it was swiftly replaced with Snoke’s suffocating presence and the sheer demand of his unending list of duties as General of the First Order. 

But now, for the first time in his twenty nine years of living, he was free. Rather ironic, he thought, seeing as just that morning he’d still been in a cell.

He glanced up as the door to his quarters hissed and slid open, Poe sauntering in without preamble. 

“If you’re looking for Ben, you just missed him,” Hux stated, lowering the datapad to rest it on his lap. 

“Then it’s a good thing I’m not looking for him,” the pilot said, his face split in a huge grin as he approached. Hux’s brow quirked questioningly as the man stood before him, exuding his usual confidence even with the small bacta pad plastered over his cheek. 

“I was just about to head out to work on the TIE. I could use your help. And maybe after we fix it up we can start on planning those upgrades we talked about?”

Hux did his best to keep his expression passive, nodding curtly as he set aside his datapad. 

“That sounds agreeable enough,” he said, rising from his bunk. 

“I’m glad,” Poe snorted, jerking his head toward the door with a smirk. 

“After you, General.”

“You know, you’re going to have to find a different way to address me seeing as I’m technically no longer a General,” Hux commented as he passed, waiting for Poe to exit behind him before falling in step with the pilot. 

“True. What’s your first name again? Armie something?” Poe inquired with a mischievous grin to rival Ben Solo’s own. It was moments like these that one could truly tell they were raised together. 

“I think not,” Hux shot back sternly. 

“Jeesh, ok. How about… hm… You know, I’m really at a loss here,” Poe said, rubbing his stubbly chin with a look of consideration. “Honestly, General just fits you so well. But don’t worry. I’ll think of something.”

Hux rolled his eyes as Poe continued to mumble an assortment of nicknames, taking a few seconds to genuinely consider each one before shaking his head. He continued in that manner until they reached the flight pad. 

“Damn. I’ve got nothing,” he muttered as they stopped to stand before the beaten up TIE fighter. 

“Oh well. I can keep mulling it over while we work. Ready to get your hands dirty, General? Or are you even capable of doing that?”

Hux’s brow lowered as he fixed the cocky pilot with a challenging gaze, pulling off his jacket and setting it aside on a supply crate. 

“What are we waiting for?”

………

“Ok!” Ben called out to get the attention of the Padawans. They rose from their warm up positions and gathered before him on the flight pad, awaiting his next words patiently as Luke, his father, Finn, and the Younglings watched on. 

“Today we will be practising form three, Soresu. This is an entirely defensive form that relies on patience and cunning rather than strength. Keep the blade close to your body and follow my movements.”

The nine Padawans spread out across the area, lightsabers igniting in tandem with Ben’s. He planted his feet shoulder width apart, the Padawans adjusting their stances accordingly, and began to slowly go through the new lightsaber forms. 

At this point the movements were pure muscle memory, his limbs easily flowing from one form to the next as the Padawans followed him diligently. The hum of ten lightsabers moving together was almost hypnotic, broken only by Ben’s explanations of each movement and stance as they went. 

They moved on to the more advanced motions, Ben occasionally stopping to gently correct one of the Padawans, though all nine seemed to be picking it up rather quickly. 

His eyes drifted toward the other end of the flight pad where Poe and Hux had been working for the past three hours on the stolen TIE fighter. He was quite frankly impressed with their progress. The two of them worked seamlessly together, Poe chattering away while Hux was mostly silent aside from an occasional burning retort to add to their easy banter.

Ben’s eyes stopped on the redhead perched atop the TIE, watching as he worked at removing a panel to get to the sparking wires. His face and bare arms shimmered with sweat and grease and Ben was struck with an odd sort of warmth at the sight. He was so dressed down, wearing only a thin white undershirt, his grey trousers, his belt, and boots. There was a smile of concentration and almost ease on his pale, engine grease smudged face as he pulled up the panel and began to sort out the mess of wiring beneath. 

Ben suddenly realised he’d stopped talking through the forms; had stopped demonstrating them altogether as he’d become so wrapped up in watching the Ex-General. His gaze snapped away from the other man, landing on Rey who looked at him with an expression so smug he had to avert his gaze. 

“Why don’t we take a break for lunch,” Luke offered, rising and motioning for the Younglings to do the same. 

Ten lightsabers deactivated in synch, the Padawans excitedly chattering as they, the Younglings, and Finn followed behind Luke who led them toward the mess hall. Ben moved to follow, but his progress was halted as his father stood before him. 

“You ok, kid?” Han inquired, a single brow raised as he fixed him with an all too knowing expression. 

“I’m fine. Why?” Ben replied as sincerely as he could, though he could feel the heat creeping up the back of his neck to his ears and he knew his face would soon be flushed pink with his embarrassment. 

“You just seemed a little… distracted today,” Han continued, surreptitiously nodding his head in Hux’s general direction. 

Ben’s jaw clenched, his pulse racing as he glanced over Han’s shoulder to the Ex-General as he and Poe seemed to come to a stopping point. The redhead slid down from on top of the TIE, catching a rag Poe tossed his way and wiping the grease from his skin. 

Ben’s gaze snapped back to his father as his hand came down on his shoulder, squeezing gently. 

“I get that you probably don’t want to talk to me or mom about something like this, but know that the both of us are here for you, ok kid?”

“Something like this?” Ben repeated haltingly, his tone tinged with confusion. “What do you mean?”

Han’s expression dropped just slightly, as if he expected a different answer. He recovered quickly enough, that knowing smile returning tenfold. 

“You’ll figure it out kid,” he said, patting his shoulder and heading the way Luke and the children had gone. Ben watched him go, utterly perplexed by his words. 

_ ‘Something like this. What did he mean? Something like what?’ _

Ben shook off his confusion as Poe approached, Hux not far behind. 

“Lunch does sound like a pretty good idea,” Poe commented, stretching out his back with several loud pops. “After all, we’ve earned it.”

“At least it isn’t smoking anymore,” Ben replied, sparing another glance toward the half repaired TIE. “You two really have made great progress for such a short amount of time.”

“You know I’d love to take the credit, but a lot of it was the General here,” Poe stated, motioning to Hux who was still working on rubbing the grease smudges from his arms. 

“I told you,” Hux started with that imperious look about him, though there was an almost playful edge to his tone. “I designed the karking thing. Of course I’d know how to fix it.”

“Yeah, but I’d never expect you to, you know, take an active roll. It’s still weird seeing you without your uniform. It’s like I’m seeing you naked.”

Hux scoffed at Poe’s words. 

“You should be so lucky,” he shot back, pulling an almost startled laugh out of both Ben and Poe. 

“C’mon, let's get to the mess hall before Rey eats all of the portion bread,” Poe said with a grin. 

Hux dropped the rag on a supply crate once he was satisfied enough with his cleanliness. As he moved to follow Poe, Ben’s eyes caught sight of a brown smudge of grease he’d missed, glistening on his cheekbone. 

“Hold on,” he said, holding out his hand and summoning the rag to him. “You still have…”

He stepped forward into Hux’s space without much thought, his free hand coming up to gently cup the man’s jaw and turn his face to the right. Green eyes locked onto his every move as he brought the rag up, wiping away the smudge from his cheek. 

“There,” he said, barely more than a whisper as he lowered the rag. Warmth flooded his entire body as the man’s eyes, sea green crowned with golden lashes, met his own. They were so close Ben could feel the other man’s breath ghosting across the planes of his cheeks. 

“I…” Hux started, lips parted as if he couldn’t quite think of the right words to say. 

Suddenly the Ex-General stepped back, his mien shifting to his typical carefully guarded frown, though his cheeks were tinged with red. 

“Thank you,” he said, nodding before walking past Ben to retrieve his jacket. “You two go on ahead of me. I’ll be along shortly.”

Ben turned toward Poe. He’d almost forgotten the other man was still there. With a murmured agreement and a wave to Hux, he and Poe made their way inside toward the mess hall. 

“So…” Poe started, his tone immediately setting off alarm bells in Ben’s head. 

“What, Poe?” he snapped, unable to express any true anger as his friend shot him a positively mischievous smirk. 

“Oh, nothing… I just couldn’t help but notice you seemed a little distracted today. Especially just now.”

Ben didn’t dignify Poe’s words with a response, rolling his eyes and rubbing the back of his neck. His father's words played through his mind once again and he let out a deep sigh. 

_ ‘Kriff.’ _

………

Hux did his best to calm his racing heartbeat as he watched Ben and Poe disappear inside the base. He trailed his fingertips over his jaw where he could still feel the phantom sensation of Ben Solo’s gentle touch. 

He immediately thought back to just the other day; how Ben had taken the same gentle caring approach in healing the wound on his neck. He couldn’t understand the other man’s motives; why he’d willingly given up half of his own quarters to share with him, why he’d expended his own significantly lessened energy to heal him, why he’d taken such care to make sure Hux was comfortable and safe. Was he simply repaying Hux for his help? Did he expect more information for his troubles?

“So,” a voice called out, interrupting his thoughts. He glanced up towards it, spotting a man around his age whom he recognised as a pilot in the Black Squadron. 

“They finally let you outta your cage, huh?” the man said, crossing his arms as he leaned against the TIE. 

Hux immediately identified the hostility in his tone, alarm bells ringing loudly in his head. He glanced around to see if there was anyone familiar nearby, but wilted as he realised that the two of them were entirely alone. This was a potentially very dangerous situation. 

“I was deemed trustworthy enough after recent events,” Hux stated, busying himself with putting away the tools scattered across the area around the TIE. 

“You must be very proud to have fooled everyone so easily,” the man shot back, cold grey eyed gaze never leaving Hux, following his every movement. 

“There was no need for deceit on my end,” Hux answered easily, straightening up to meet the other man’s gaze. “I believe my case was made when I assisted in destroying Starkiller.”

“Ah yes. The weapon which _ you _ created,” the pilot snapped, pushing off of the TIE and advancing toward Hux. “Tell me, General Hux. Do you even feel remorse? Do you regret _ anything _ you’ve done?”

“I’m trying to,” Hux replied, taking a few steps back as the pilot approached with a threatening edge to his movements. “Just being here goes against everything I was raised to believe. I was raised on tales of the glory of the Empire. I was raised to uphold its ideals, to enforce them. But, because of _your_ Commander, I was able to break free from those teachings and see the truth.”

The pilot scoffed, face hardening into a poisonous glare that had Hux wishing he’d brought his blade for protection. 

“I’m touched by your story, truly I am,” he said, backing Hux up against the TIE with only a foot of space between them. “But what reason do I have to believe a single word you’re saying?”

Hux’s frown deepened, but he stood his ground, his fists clenching and unclenching at his sides. 

“Fortunately, I don’t need you to believe me,” he stated, raising his chin definitely. “I have the confidence of not only your Commander, but General Organa herself. So, if you have a problem with me, I suggest you take it up with one of them.”

The pilot’s cold glare shot right through Hux’s skin into his very core and, for the first time in a long while, Hux was truly intimidated. He forced himself not to jump as the man slammed his hand against the side of the TIE, inches from Hux’s head. 

“You can't trust a traitor, no matter who it is that they betray,” he growled, far too close now for comfort. Hux’s entire body tensed like a tightly coiled spring, ready for the inevitable attack. The pilot grit his teeth, looking as if he were about to speak again when a familiar presence appeared behind him. 

“Venka,” Han Solo called, the pilot's face falling into an expression of shock and guilt as he turned to face the older man. 

“General Solo,” he greeted formally, his posture stiff as he glanced back toward Hux. 

“I was just-“

“I heard,” Han cut him off, his stern brow lowering, his mouth curling into a disapproving frown. 

“I understand your distrust, but it is because of _ that _ man that my son, _ your _ Commander, is alive. It is because of him that we were able to take down Starkiller, Kuat, and Vardos in tandem. If you can’t find it in yourself to trust him, then trust me when I tell you that you will regret it if I find out that you’ve harmed him in any way. Have I made myself clear?”

Venka gulped audibly, bowing his head in deference. 

“Yes, General.”

He turned to face Hux, his face contorting in anger before he collected himself and bowed his head toward him. 

“I apologise. It won’t happen again.”

Hux watched, utterly perplexed, as the pilot retreated, racing past the approaching Wookie. Chewbacca grunted as he came to stand beside Han who turned to face Hux. 

“You have excellent timing,” Hux said earnestly, his thoughts racing a mile a minute as he took in the entirety of what had just happened. “Thank-“

“Don’t thank me just yet,” Han interrupted, holding up his hand. “I’ve got some words for you as well.”

Hux’s brow shot up in concern, but he motioned for Han to continue. 

“I’ve been… let’s say, picking up on a few things recently, and I feel compelled to let you know,” he started, looking to Hux with a glare that had him wishing he’d retreated into the mess hall with Ben and Poe when he’d had the chance. 

“If you hurt my son, if you let anything happen to him after he’s put his trust in you, then you will very quickly find out what it feels like to have your arms ripped out of their sockets by an angry Wookie.”

Hux’s jaw dropped, his eyes flickering over to Chewbacca as he grunted in what appeared to be agreement. 

“I… I don’t intend on hurting anyone, let alone your son.”

“…Good,” Han said after a long pause, reaching out to pat Hux’s shoulder surprisingly amicably. “Then we’re done here. Now let’s head to the mess hall. I’m sure you’re starving.”

Hux couldn’t find it in himself to question the man, simply following along behind him and Chewbacca with an air of utter confusion as he questioned him on the work he and Poe had done on the TIE. 

_ ‘What was that?’ _

………

Hux had been mostly silent throughout lunch, simply sitting back and watching just as he had that morning as Poe chattered away, Ben and Rey occasionally interjecting much to his annoyance. Their banter was so incredibly seamless and natural, but then Hux supposed that's what came of growing up together. 

Soon enough, lunch was finished and everyone began to go back to their assorted tasks. Ben and Luke gathered up the Younglings and Padawans and led them back out toward the flight pad for meditation, Han took Finn to the infirmary for his routine post surgery checkup, and Poe went off to complete his full report of the Vardos battle with the promise that they’d continue working on the TIE the next morning. 

Hux was still mulling over Han’s words even as he made his way back to his new quarters, taking the long way round. 

_ ‘If you let anything happen to him after he’s put his trust in you…’ _

It was odd to think anyone there could trust him, let alone Ben. Then again, he supposed that after everything they’d been through together, a certain measure of trust had been earned. 

The memory of clinging onto Ben’s hand as he dangled over the chasm of a crumbling Ilum flashed into his mind. At the time, the only thought in his mind had been to keep the other man safe; to keep holding onto him until either help arrived or they both plummeted into the fiery core of Starkiller. 

With that thought, he couldn’t help but think of every single time Ben had saved him. Had the other man felt the same pull in his mind toward him that he did? Had he been feeling it since the very first time they’d met; when Ben has been his prisoner aboard the Finalizer? 

He shook his head as he came to a stop before the door of his quarters, pressing a hand to the access panel and stepping inside as the door opened. 

“Kriff,” he whispered to himself, rubbing the back of his neck. All of this was far too much to think on at the moment. His gaze turned toward the fresher and he settled on taking a quick sonic to ease the ache in his neck and shoulders that came of hunching over TIE wiring for hours on end. 

He’d worry about Ben later. 

He headed toward the fresher, shrugging off his jacket, neatly folding it, and setting it on his bunk as he passed. He reached out for the access panel, but jumped back as the door opened before he could even make contact. 

He blinked in astonishment at the sight that met him; standing before him, shirtless, dripping wet, arms raised as he’d been towel drying his hair before Hux had blocked his path, was Ben. 

“… Oh,” Hux managed to say with an even tone, though he could feel the blood rushing to his cheeks as his eyes tracked a drop of water as it made its way down Ben’s neck, over his well muscled chest.

“I thought you were… meditating.”

Ben made a soft noise, almost like a laugh that had been caught in his throat. 

“I don’t meditate with anyone but Master Luke and Rey. It’s safer that way,” he said as he resumed drying his hair, the muscles in his arms flexing with the movement. 

Hux’s brow quirked, mouth opening to question the man further when he realised he was still blocking Ben’s path out of the fresher. Though he wanted to, he seemed almost unable to step out of the way. He cursed himself internally, berating himself for his uncharacteristic absentmindedness. 

“Safer?” he repeated for lack of anything else to say, hoping against hope that the other man wasn’t picking up on his thoughts. 

“Yes,” Ben replied, his movements once again stilling as he considered Hux with a raised brow. 

“Meditation connects your mind, body, and soul to the force. When there are others participating, they can feel what you feel and see what you see; sometimes very strongly. The darkness that infected my mind as a child has been kept at bay for the most part, but as long as it still remains, the only ones I trust myself to connect with are Master Luke and Rey.”

“I see,” Hux said, eyes flickering to the toes of his boots as he faltered under Ben’s intense gaze. He held his hands behind his back, surprised to feel sweat coating his palms. Why had he suddenly become so nervous in front of the other man?

The memory of that warm hand cupping his jaw not an hour earlier on the flightpad sprang to the forefront of his mind. His pulse sped up, his heart beating so quickly he feared, irrational though it may be, that Ben could hear it. 

“Hux, are you alright?” Ben inquired, taking a small step closer; close enough now that Hux could smell the soap he’d used to wash his body just moments ago, the flowery scent clinging to his damp pale olive skin. 

“Of course I am,” Hux answered far too quickly. “I was just…”

He chanced a glance up toward Ben as he trailed off, instantly regretting his choice to meet the force users gaze as those discerning brown eyes bored into him, further freezing him in place. 

“Hux,” Ben said far too softly, those full lips slanting upward in a gentle concerned smile. In that moment, the urge to lean in, to get as close to that smile as he possibly could, to be enveloped in the warmth that it brought, gripped Hux with such insistence that it almost frightened him. His pulse raced in his chest. His eyes met Ben’s fully and the feeling was akin to watching a star going supernova. 

“My father told me about your run in with Venka,” he stated seriously, those lips shaping into a somber frown. “I want you to know that Poe and I are each going to have a talk with our squads to make sure nothing like that happens again.”

Hux barely nodded, pressing his lips into a thin line as he tried to collect himself. His thoughts were buzzing about in his mind like a swarm of anxious insects, the most prevalent of them urging him to bring back that smile.

“Hux,” Ben repeated. “Listen, if you aren’t alright, you know you can tell me. I’m here for you.”

At that, Hux's entire world froze. Time itself seemed to stop as that statement replayed itself over and over and over again in his head. 

_ “I’m here for you.” _

He’d never once been told that with such genuine care and compassion. 

Those words; those four simple words, struck something deep inside of Hux. His heart almost seemed to skip a beat as he met that warm gaze, that honey-sweet smile returning at full force. 

He replayed his own conversation with Han in his mind for what felt like the millionth time that day. 

_ “I’ve been… let’s say, picking up on a few things recently, and I feel compelled to let you know; if you hurt my son, if you let anything happen to him after he’s put his trust in you, then you will very quickly find out what it feels like to have your arms ripped out of their sockets by an angry Wookie.” _

He’d been absolutely confounded at the time, but now he was beginning to understand, and the realisation made his stomach do flips. Gazing into Ben’s eyes, he knew exactly what Han had meant. 

In his smile, he saw his mother rocking him to sleep, singing an old Arkanisian lullaby as softly as possible so as not to alert his father.

In his words, Hux heard his mother’s whispered promise that she would keep him safe from his father's cruelty for as long as her heart was beating. 

Standing there now, at twenty nine years of age, having betrayed everything he was raised to be; having worked with his enemy to survive on Parnassos, having saved him from Lord Kuruk by wielding his lightsaber, having worked with him to not only destroy Starkiller Base, but steal essential intel on the First Order for the Resistance, having held onto him whilst he dangled over a chasm on a dying Ilum, Hux realised something he had never imagined would be so. Standing there in front of Ben Solo Organa, son of Generals Leia Organa and Han Solo Organa, Nephew of Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, Commander of the Black Squadron and Jedi Knight, he was well and truly safe for the very first time in his entire life. 

_ “I’m here for you,” _ he heard one final time and he couldn’t help but smile. 

“… I know,” he finally said, Ben’s brown eyes widening as his smile grew. 

“Thank you.”

………

“Very good, Rey,” Ben called. “Remember to keep your stance wide and your saber close.”

Rey nodded with a determined smile, adjusting her stance accordingly as she blocked another of his strikes. Sparring had always been where Rey excelled; Ben had no doubt that, with training, she would one day surpass even him. 

The other Padawans and Younglings watched from the sidelines along with Luke, Han, Finn, and a smattering of pilots, all absolutely captivated as the two of them moved swiftly and fluidly across the flight pad. Rey’s yellow blade clashed against his blue blade as she successfully blocked another three hits in quick succession.

Ben’s gaze travelled to the other side of the flightpad for only a second, a small smile stretching across his lips at the sight of Hux and Poe once again working on their TIE. 

He recalled their conversation from the previous day; how Hux had been so uncharacteristically silent, almost nervous. Ben had been concerned the Ex-General had caught some sort of illness, what with how red his cheeks had been. 

When he’d brought up the confrontation with Venka, Hux’s mien had shifted significantly. The nervous stuttering was gone, suddenly replaced by a wide eyed and disbelieving stare. Ben initially guessed that the other man could’ve been more shaken up by the confrontation than he had let on, but he quickly dismissed that notion; Hux was not the sort that was easily intimidated. 

With that theory out of the way, Ben wasn’t entirely certain what was left. He knew he could’ve delved into the other man’s mind; he wouldn’t have even known Ben was there, but the very thought of that made him sick to his stomach. He would never entertain the idea of taking something without asking. 

But then he’d said something that seemed to have completely thrown Hux for a loop. 

_ “I’m here for you.” _

The other man had been utterly shocked to hear those words, so much so that Ben could only assume that that had been the first time they’d ever been said to him. He could still remember how that realisation had made his heart ache, but that sensation had disappeared entirely when a genuine smile spread across Hux’s usually somber face, lighting up his features so brightly it was like staring directly into the sun. 

Ben’s heart had skipped a beat at the very sight of him, and he was suddenly consumed with the thought that, no matter what, he would see that smile again. He would make certain of that. 

He was startled back out of his thoughts as he ducked a swing from Rey, bending backwards and catching himself on one hand. Swiftly he pushed himself back to his feet, turning with his momentum to block another strike. 

“Rey, you’re supposed to be working entirely on defense,” he reminded her, not even attempting to sound stern as a grin stretched across his face. 

She returned the grin brightly, force pushing him backwards a few feet and twirling her saber in challenge. 

Ben chuckled and took a step forward, falling into a ready stance. 

All of a sudden, the sensation of electricity coursed through his body, his vision whiting out before going completely dark. He dropped his saber and cradled his head in his hands as every muscle in his body seized, dropping to his knees when a distorted but sickeningly familiar voice rang out through his mind. He felt as if he was drowning, though there was no water filling his lungs. 

The force energy surrounding him was absolutely panicked, as if the universe itself was frantically calling out to him, begging him to watch what it had to show him. 

Gritting his teeth, he opened his mind to the force, accepting the vision. 

~

All at once everything stopped; he was no longer in his own body. His eyes opened and he took in the all too familiar surroundings of Snoke’s holochamber. 

_ “Supreme Leader,” _a shockingly alive Peavey called out as he bowed shallowly to the blue holoprojection, adjusting his stance as he leant heavily on his cane to take the weight off of his heavily bandaged knee. 

_ “General Peavey,” _Snoke rasped in response. 

Ben choked on a gasp. He could _ feel _ the rage, the sheer hatred and anger, emanating from the malformed being. 

_ “We have finished decoding the transmission we received from Lord Kuruk before he… met his fate.” _

The memory of the confrontation with Kuruk flashed through Ben’s mind. The agony of the electrified net, the water that filled his lungs, the shocking sight of Hux fighting off the Knight with Mattias’s green saber. If the Knight had sent an encrypted message to the First Order, it could only be one thing. 

_ “The message,” _ Peavey continued, _ “contained the coordinates to the Resistance’s secret base. Evidently they’ve been hiding on an uncharted planet just outside of the Mid Rim, in the Sanbra Sector.” _

_ “How bold of them,” _ Snoke said as he let out a twisted parody of a chuckle. _ “Hiding in plain sight all these years.” _

_ “Yes, Sir,” _Peavey agreed quickly. 

_“I have already taken the liberty of alerting the fleet. They will not escape us; I refuse to give them the opportunity.”_

Snoke nodded, looking down his crooked nose toward the General at the foot of his throne. 

_ “An admirable attitude, General. But, be sure that this time your hubris isn’t your downfall.” _

Peavey’s face fell at that, his mouth dropping open though no words came from it for a good few moments. 

_ “S-Supreme Leader,” _ he stuttered, folding his arms behind his back as sweat beaded on his forehead. 

_ “I assure you that I will not allow myself to be bested by the Resistance after they’ve been virtually handed to us on a silver platter. The odds are stacked almost immeasurably in our favour, and-“ _

_ “I am not concerned with the Resistance, General. They are nothing more than a rag-tag militia of weak minded fools. I am more concerned with our General Hux. Having someone with his knowledge and experience working against us is something to be wary of.” _

_ “Supreme Leader, I do not fear that traitor,” _Peavey scoffed when the air suddenly grew thick with the force, bent and twisted with ill-intent as it closed around the General’s throat. 

_ “That traitor has bested not only you, but all three of my Knights. You would do well not to underestimate him as you clearly have been doing,” _Snoke snapped, motioning down to Peavey’s injured knee. 

_ “Now,” _Snoke continued, releasing his force hold on Peavey, allowing the man to collapse to the shiny floor, grasping at his neck as he wheezed pitifully. 

_ “Rally your forces, General. I believe it’s time we paid the Resistance a visit.”  
_

_~_

The vision faded with the echo of Snoke’s last words, Ben’s presence slowly returning to his body. His eyes blinked open, the sunlight making him hiss through his teeth. A face swam into focus and Ben reached out, gripping the soft fabric of a white undershirt. 

“Hux,” he breathed, his entire body shivering violently despite his best efforts not to. 

“I’m here,” Hux whispered from his place knelt at Ben’s side, placing his own hands over his and squeezing gently. 

His eyes flickered around briefly, taking in each concerned and startled face that surrounded him; his family and his friends, each holding their breath to hear what he would say next. 

He turned his gaze back to Hux, taking comfort in the depths of his glassy green eyes. 

“Hux, he knows,” he whispered. 

“He’s coming.”

………

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So… it’s been a month. 
> 
> Please accept this long-ass chapter as a sort of apology for disappearing for so long. I have what the kids call “Clinical Depression”, and it’s been pretty bad for the past month, but I’m doing better now!
> 
> I can’t guarantee that the next chapter will be finished quickly. Just know that, no matter what, this story WILL be finished.
> 
> Thank you to everyone who has left me comments! They really inspire me to keep going more than you know.
> 
> Thank you so much for your patience!
> 
> ~Cynical


	17. As The World Falls Down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~Chapter Vibes~
> 
> https://youtu.be/3baQ9lj3W7E
> 
> ⭐️Announcement⭐️  
Over the past two days I’ve gone through this entire story and I’ve made some general grammar corrections. BUT! I’ve also changed up a few minor plot details to better fit the end product I’m going for! If you wish to go back and reread, (considering it’s been an age since I’ve updated), you may find a few things have changed just a little ;).
> 
> Thank you for reading!
> 
> ~Cynical

The flight pad was absolute pandemonium as pilots and technicians alike flooded it, performing last minute inspections of their ships, refueling, repairing, anything they could possibly do to prepare for what was coming.

_ “Hux, he knows. He’s coming,” _ was what Ben had said to him after snapping out of his agonising force vision. 

And Hux had instantly known exactly what the other man was saying. His face had drained of any remaining colour, his mouth had gone horribly dry, and his heart had almost seemed to stop beating for more than a few seconds as the terrifying reality of their situation had sunk in. 

And now here Hux stood beside a stone-faced Leia and a smattering of older officers, mentally preparing for the oncoming battle. 

A few droids joined the chaos as they rolled to their assigned X-Wings, one particularly excited orange BB unit bleeping rapidly and weaving through Hux’s legs, disappearing into the crowd. 

Hux turned his attention away from the muddled crowd as Ben, Poe, Luke, Han, and Halla approached, each saluting Leia respectfully. 

“The Red and Black Squadrons are prepared for battle, General. We await your instructions,” Poe stated. 

“My best pilots are fueling up their ships as we speak,” Halla said with her typical smirk in place. “As for the rest of my people, we are all at your disposal.”

“Very good,” Leia said with a firm nod, turning to glance back over her shoulder. 

“Threepio,” she called, the gold plated droid with his brand new red arm approaching and handing her a datapad. 

“According to the star map acquired from Starkiller, there has been little to no movement. However; our spies stationed out in the Thanium Sector report differently. We know for a fact that at least one Star Destroyer is en route to our location from Felucia.”

Hux’s lips downturned in a frown at that.

“That… That’s not right,” he spoke up, holding his wrist behind his back as all eyes turned toward him. 

“The First Order has no Star Destroyers or personnel of any kind stationed near Felucia. That would be far too risky considering the heavy core world traffic from the Perlemian Trade Route.”

“Are you saying our own people are lying to us?” an older officer inquired. 

Leia held up a hand to silence the man, her brow furrowed in thought as she considered Hux before offering him her datapad. 

“If the First Order is indeed attempting to distract us with false information, do you suppose they know we have this?”

“I’d say so,” Hux stated as he brought the screen closer to his face, eyes scanning the Star Map. His frown tightened when he found exactly what he’d been hoping not to find.

“They were attempting to ease us into a state of false confidence, thinking that we’d only have to fight off a single Star Destroyer, but looking at this… there are three missing from the feed.”

“Three,” Ben repeated, his voice barely above a whisper as he hurried over to stand beside Hux, looking at the screen over his shoulder. 

“Yes,” Hux replied, tapping his finger against the screen. “The Finalizer, which was previously by what remained of Ilum, the Absolution, which was orbiting Kessel, and…”

Hux’s words trailed off suddenly as he touched the pad of his finger to the third missing dot, his blood running cold. 

“Hux,” Ben said concernedly from beside him, placing a hand hesitantly on his shoulder. “What is it?”

“The Supremacy…” he answered, looking to Leia gravely. “A Mega-Class Star Dreadnought and Supreme Leader Snoke’s personal flagship.”

“He’s coming here himself?” Poe exclaimed, his typically confident face painted with unease. 

“It seems so,” Hux said, handing the datapad back to Leia who seemed almost unable to tear her worry filled eyes away from Ben for a moment before she caught herself. 

“We’ll worry about him when the time comes,” Leia stated, her jaw clenched tightly as she looked to Hux. “Do you know which ship will arrive first?”

“The Finalizer, without a doubt,” Hux said without a hint of hesitation. 

“And what can we expect when it arrives?” Han inquired from beside Halla. 

“Well,” Hux started. “In addition to the 8,000 expertly trained Stormtroopers and TIE Fighter pilots that had already been stationed aboard, you’ll also have to contend with the surviving crew of Starkiller. That puts their numbers somewhere around 10,000.

“Considering they’re entirely unfamiliar with this planet, its terrain, its native species; they're most likely to send down scouting parties filled with less experienced Troopers.”

“Cannon fodder,” Ben commented, his expression darkening. 

“Precisely,” Hux nodded. “And once those Troopers have covered enough ground, that’s when the TIEs will be sent out in waves.”

Leia took in his every word, thoughtful frown deepening as she considered her choices. 

“Alright,” she finally said, handing the datapad back to Threepeo. 

“Everyone to the command centre. We have some things to talk through.”

………

Ben made his way quickly down the corridor, Han and Hux following close behind with Poe bringing up the rear, pushing Finn along in his chair. 

His mother’s words filled his mind as they went, the plan of action she and Hux had created playing on repeat. 

~

_ “Alright, people,” _Leia had said, addressing the roomful or nervous pilots and Officers alike. 

_ “The First Order plans to catch us off our guard. They believe themselves to be several steps ahead of us. However; they have failed to take into account the distinct advantage we have over them.” _

As she spoke, she looked to Hux with an expression of what could only be called respect. 

_ “With General Hux on our side, we have the upper hand. We can defeat the First Order, here and now, once and for all.” _

Cheers had filled the air, lifting the grim atmosphere of the command centre if only for a short moment. After a few seconds, Leia had raised her hand to silence the room. As they quieted, she motioned to Hux, nodding her head toward him as he stepped forward. Ben had watched as his demeanour shifted, the man he had come to know suddenly taking on the mantle of General once more. 

_ “Here is the situation,” _he had stated, his tone demanding the attention of the crowd. 

_ “At this very moment, there are three Star Destroyers en route to our location. The first to arrive will be the Finalizer, as it is currently carrying the most personnel out of any other ship in the fleet. _

_ “They will not have had time to repair the damages from the attack on Starkiller, so the ship will remain in orbit above the planet, sending down Trooper transport shuttles and TIE fighters from there.” _

_ “Then we should have our X-Wings meet those shuttles and take them down before they can so much as land,” _an older Officer had interjected. 

_ “No,” _ Hux had said. _ “The First Order will be flying virtually blind. They have no records of this planet, and they are unsure of our numbers; not only that, but they could never find this base from the air as long as we refrain from bringing the attention to it that an immediate large scale attack would. It would be best to hold back and wait; to allow the advantage of this heavily camouflaged base to keep us safe for as long as possible.” _

_ “So we allow them to land? What happens when they _ do _ find us? We’ll be sitting mynocks,” _another voice from the crowd had said. 

_ “Not necessarily,” _Hux had replied, the corner of his mouth upturned just slightly in a calculating smirk.

~

Ben came back to himself as they reached the surface, hurrying quickly toward the flightpad. The four of them maneuvered through the frenzy of pilots prepping their X-Wings, coming to a stop before the Falcon where Luke, Leia, Chewie, and the Younglings waited for them. 

“Is everything ready?” Han questioned. 

Luke nodded in response, placing his hand on Han’s shoulder with a somber smile. 

“Thank you, Han,” he said sincerely. 

Han placed his own hand over Luke’s, nodding toward Chewie. 

Chewie grunted softly, lowering the boarding ramp of the Falcon and beginning to help the Younglings board. Ben watched them go with a sad smile. If this battle did indeed go south, at least they would be safe; the last of the Jedi. 

“I don’t want to go,” Finn said from his chair, brown eyes pleading as Poe approached to push him toward the ramp. “I want to stay and fight, like Rey and the other Padawans!”

“Finn,” Poe said, squatting before the teary eyed young teen. “We need you to go with the Younglings. They need your protection more than anything. Will you protect them?”

Finn’s face scrunched up, his sadness turning to determination, tears ceasing immediately as he sat straight and tall. 

“I will,” he said solemnly, not unlike a knight accepting a gravely important task.

Ben smiled, stepping forward and pulling his blaster to hand it to the young ex Cadet Trooper. Finn took it carefully, wide eyes meeting Ben’s. 

“Good luck, Finn. And may the Force be with you,” Ben said, patting Finn’s shoulder. The young teen returned his smile tenfold, eyes as bright as twin suns as Poe pushed him up the boarding ramp and onto the Falcon. 

“Hux,” Han called as he approached.

Ben turned to see the Ex-General’s green eyes widen as Han stopped in front of him. 

“Thank you for everything you’ve done. Without you, we wouldn’t have a chance to win this,” he said sincerely. 

Hux’s gaze shifted down to the toes of his boots in a surprisingly modest gesture. 

“Everything I’ve done has been because of your son,” Hux admitted, his words quickening Ben’s pulse, sending heat to his cheeks. 

Han nodded in approval, patting Hux’s shoulder firmly. 

“Good. Then I can trust you to keep him safe,” he stated more than asked. Hux nodded once, Han squeezing his shoulder once more before turning to face Ben. 

“Son,” he said softly, moving forward and cupping Ben’s cheek in his rough calloused palm. 

“I’m so proud of you,” he breathed. “Proud of everything you’ve become; everything you are. You’re a natural born leader, kid, with more empathy in one finger than most people have in their entire body. You’re smarter and braver than me, and I believe in you more than I’ve ever believed in anyone.”

“I am who I am because of you, Mom, and Uncle Luke,” Ben answered without hesitation. 

Han chuckled, pulling him into a tight embrace. Ben returned the hug, burying his face in his father's shoulder as Han’s hand came up to cradle the back of his head. 

When they pulled back, Leia was there beside them. Ben stepped back to give them space, his heart warm and full as his mother pulled his father down into a kiss. 

“You be careful,” she insisted, her hands gripping his vest tightly as she stared up at him. 

“Yes, your worship,” he responded, eyes glinting as she breathed a laugh, resting her forehead against his chest before she stepped back. 

Ben stood beside his mother as they watched his father board the Falcon, stopping just before the door to glance back at them. 

“I love you both,” he said. 

“We know,” Leia replied, Han chuckling at that before disappearing onboard the Falcon, the boarding ramp retracting with a hiss. All eyes watched as the Falcon rose higher and higher, vanishing beyond the clouds with Han, Chewie, Finn, and the Younglings safely on board. 

“Alright,” Leia spoke, wiping a single tear from her cheek. “Everyone to your stations to finish preparations. General Hux, join me in the command centre when you’re ready.”

Everyone present hurried to follow Leia’s orders, Luke and Threepeo heading back to the base with her while those on the flightpad went back to work. 

“Poe,” Ben called, the shorter man hurrying over to him. 

“I need you to gather the Squadrons. I want to go over the plan with them one more time.”

“You got it,” Poe said before running off toward the other side of the flight pad. 

“Hux,” Ben said, motioning for the other man to follow him. 

The Ex-General fell into step beside him, the two quietly making their way back toward the command centre. 

Ben could feel Hux’s thoughts racing in his head; could virtually see the strategies forming within that remarkable mind. Looking at him, it was easy to forget that this man, barely five years his senior, was a master strategist and tactician. 

Whilst his enemies were thinking of a plan b, he already had “a” through “n” prepared. He truly was a force to be reckoned with, and Ben briefly wondered if Snoke regretted tossing aside such a powerful piece on the figurative Dejarik board. 

_ ‘If he doesn’t now, he will,’ _Ben thought, his mind drifting once again back to the earlier meeting. 

~

_ “The scouting parties will be the first to come. The larger of the Trooper transport shuttles can hold up to 50 Troopers, the smaller only 20. Each Trooper is outfitted with a tracker implant and an imager planted in the chest piece of their armor, both of which combine to give the Bridge an accurate holofeed of the terrain as well as an overhead map of the battlefield. Their commander will be able to give them orders and watch in real time as those orders are carried out. _

_ “Now, my suggestion is that, rather than allow the First Order the gratification of an immediate attack with their advantageous numbers, we direct their attention as far away from the location of the base as we possibly can.” _

_ “How do you propose we do that, General?” _Poe had questioned from beside Ben, as captivated by Hux’s words as most everyone else in the room seemed to be. 

Hux’s posture had seemed to grow impossibly straighter. Ben had felt an almost smug pride coming off of him then. 

_ “They’ll be searching for life signatures.” _

_ “Of course,” _ Leia had chimed in, her gaze meeting Hux’s as she seemed to have picked up on his plan. “If _ we can manage to conceal the life signatures coming from this base, perhaps with a signal jammer, we can set up an ambush miles away from here and draw them to it.” _

_ “Precisely,” _Hux had nodded respectfully. 

_ “Halla,” _ Leia had called, turning to the other woman. _ “I want you to take your people to the densest part of the forest past the mountains and set up as many traps as you can manage. Ben, Poe, gather your Squadrons and go with her. You’ll need to find a way to camouflage your ships amongst the trees.” _

_ “That won’t be a problem. We know plenty of methods of camouflage, courtesy of the Ewoks,” _Halla had stated, her smile growing as the plan began to fall into place. 

~

“Hux,” Ben said as he came out of his thoughts once again. 

The other man glanced over at him, brow quirked as their pace slowed to a halt in the middle of an empty corridor. 

“I… I just wanted to tell you…” he hesitated, his words stopping short as those sea green eyes met his. 

“What is it?” Hux inquired, brow raised in concern as Ben stumbled over his words. 

“Well… I just…” he paused to clear his throat. “This last month has been an absolute whirlwind. When we took you from the Finalizer, I couldn’t have imagined we’d end up where we are now; Starkiller destroyed, the last of the Knights of Ren dead, the First Order fractured and desperate…”

Ben took a deep breath as he fully turned to face Hux, the other man’s gaze fixed on him and him alone. 

“Ever since the very first time I’d spoken to you in that cell, I’ve felt this pull towards you, as if the force itself was telling me to go to you. That feeling is why I saved you on Ilum, and again on Endor. It’s why I took you from the Finalizer. I was convinced that the force was telling me you were to play an essential role in this war; in my destiny. I felt it so strongly. 

“There was a moment after Parnassos, when we’d first brought you here, I had begun to think perhaps I was wrong. Now, however, after everything we’ve been through, I know that I wasn’t.”

Ben didn’t quite know when he’d gotten so close to Hux, close enough that he could feel the other man’s warmth, smell the distinct scent of the tea he’d drank that morning on his breath, see the darker starburst pattern inside of his clear green eyes. 

“_You _ are my destiny, Armitage Hux,” he continued, placing his hands gently on Hux’s upper arms and squeezing. 

A long bout of silence passed between them as Hux seemed to take in his words, his lips moving as if he wanted nothing more than to speak, but couldn’t find the words. Ben watched utterly perplexed as Hux, always so eloquent, struggled to find his footing in the conversation before he finally, _finally_, spoke. 

“I too have felt a pull towards you since our first meeting,” he admitted, turning his face away as he spoke.

“A foreign presence taking up residence in my mind that, try as I may, I couldn’t put a name to. At first, I’d tried my hardest to ignore it, to build a wall around it and keep doing my duty to the First Order like the good soldier I’d always been. 

“But, the more I saw you, on Ilum, on Endor, and in those kriffing visions, the more insistent it became. I didn’t save you on Parnassos out of self preservation. I did it because I couldn’t bear to see you killed by that monstrous Rancor. And when Lord Kuruk came to take you, and kill me… I heard your pleas and I _ felt _your pain, and I… all at once I realised that all of my achievements, everything I had worked for my entire life, my rank, my status, Starkiller, didn’t matter to me as much as you.”

As the last word of Hux’s confession left his lips, Ben realised he’d been holding his breath. His heart pounded in his chest, adrenaline pumping through his body like white hot electricity as he stared into the face of the man who was once his enemy. 

“Hux,” Ben said finally, breaking the deafening silence once again. 

“In… incase we don’t make it out of this battle alive, I-“

Ben’s words halted on his tongue as Hux’s lips crashed into his, pale hands cupping his face, fingers tangling in his hair. 

Ben returned the kiss with enthusiasm, wrapping his arms around Hux’s waist and pulling him in somehow closer than they already were, holding onto him as if their very lives depended on it. 

In that moment, everything else fell away; the impending threat of the First Order at their doorstep, the imminent presence of Snoke. The entire galaxy seemed to come to a complete halt around them as they desperately clung to each other, together at last. 

When they finally parted, both panting softly in the scant space left between them, Ben let out a soft chuckle, resting his forehead against Hux’s. 

“Would you believe me if I said I’ve wanted to do that since the moment you walked into my cell?”

Hux breathed a laugh, his hands lowering from Ben’s face to rest on his shoulders. 

“Would you believe me if I said the same?”

The two of them stayed perfectly still for minutes more, Ben just taking a moment to hold Hux as close as he could for as long as he could. 

They parted quickly with one last look as multiple sets of steps sounded nearby, Poe and the Red and Black squadrons rounding the corner not a moment later. 

“Commander So-lo…” Poe’s greeting stuttered to a halt as he took in the scene before him with an all too knowing smirk. He recovered quickly enough, turning to face Ben as if nothing had happened. 

“We’re ready for you,” he finished, trying his utmost to keep his expression straight. 

“Very good. We have no time to lose,” Ben said a bit sheepishly, watching from the corner of his eye as Hux hurried off toward the command centre, his entire face and the tips of his ears burning bright red. 

Ben cleared his throat, falling quickly back into his authoritative stance. 

“As you all know, Commander Halla and her people are out setting their traps for the ground troops. When she gives us the signal, we are to fly our X-Wings to the clearing she has prepared and begin work on camouflaging them into their surroundings. As General Hux said, it is of the utmost importance that the scouting parties do not see us until exactly the right moment.”

Ben glanced down as his comlink crackled to life, Halla’s voice coming in loud and clear from the other end. 

_ “Traps are set. We’re ready for you, Solo.” _

“Roger that, Halla,” Ben replied before turning back to his fellow pilots. 

“Alright,” he said, brow furrowing in determination. “Let’s go.”

Poe fell into step beside him as they all made their way back up to the surface, heading for the subterranean compartments where their X-Wings sat waiting for them. 

“So, did I really see what I think I saw?” Poe questioned silently enough for only the two of them to hear. 

“Don’t get too excited, Poe. We’re preparing for battle right now, not talking about my personal life,” Ben said, those words the only answer the other man needed.

“I won’t say another word,” Poe lied, his grin widening as they reached the compartment holding Ben’s X-Wing. An orange BB unit beeped excitedly at their presence from the astromech socket in the back of the ship. 

“BB-8? You must be fresh from Hosnian Prime. I’m Commander Poe Dameron! It’s nice to meet you,” Poe greeted, the little droid answering with a happy trill. 

“Now, you take good care of my ship, Dameron,” Ben said seriously as Poe waved at the little droid. 

“C’mon, Ben. You know me,” he replied with a smirk, patting a black painted side panel fondly. 

“That’s exactly why I’m worried,” Ben shot back, snorting at Poe’s exaggeratedly offended look. 

“If anyone should be worried, it’s me! _ I _haven’t even gotten to fly my TIE after Hux and I fixed it up.”

Ben chuckled at that, glancing over toward the newly repaired and modified TIE, his eye catching on the clean stripe of red wrapping around the centre. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t thrilled to be the first to fly it. 

“Hey,” Poe said, breaking Ben out of his thoughts with a hand on his shoulder. 

“You be careful, Solo.”

“You too, Dameron,” Ben answered, allowing the shorter man to pull him into a tight hug. 

“May the force be with us.”

………

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m back!
> 
> I’m so sorry it’s been so long. Quarantine has been rough, but I’m ok and I’m back on my Star Wars bullshit!
> 
> Thank you to all of you who’ve stuck with me this far! Your encouraging comments have really kept me going! I can’t promise the next chapter will be out quickly, but I can promise that this fic WILL be finished!
> 
> If you’d like to leave a comment, PLEASE DO! I am an attention whore who thrives on praise.
> 
> ~Cynical


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